STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN MONDAY, OCT. 14, 2024

Photo: Ernie Belmonte

• WORKS: GI WINNERS CITIZEN BULL, GAMING GO IN COMPANY • MILESTONE: D’AMATO GETS CAREER WIN NO. 1,000 • APPRENTICE JOCKEY ORANTES GETS 1st SANTA ANITA WIN • SPECIAL HOLIDAY CARD MONDAY WITH $1 BEERS, $2 HOT DOGS

WORKS: GI WINNERS GAMING, CITIZEN BULL DRILL IN COMPANY

Grade I winners Citizen Bull and Gaming, each targeting the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Del Mar Nov. 1, worked in company Monday for trainer Bob Baffert. They were among several Breeders’ Cup prospects working at Santa Anita.

Gaming and Citizen Bull each drilled five furlongs in an identical 59.0 seconds, which were the fastest works at the distance. In addition to his Juvenile prospects, Baffert also worked $ 7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic contender Newgate and both Fort Bragg and Muth, candidates for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Gaming, by Game Winner, will enter the Juvenile a perfect 2-for-2 for owners Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. He romped by 5 ½ lengths in his debut when sprinting 6 ½ furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 11, then returned to win the GI Del Mar Futurity at seven furlongs on Sept. 8. The 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile will be his first time around two turns.

Citizen Bull finished third as the favorite in the Del Mar Futurity, 5 ¾ lengths back of his stablemate. The Into Mischief colt then rebounded with a front-running victory in the GI American Pharoah when making his two-turn debut Oct. 5 at Santa Anita.

Newgate, who finished third in the GI California Crown Sept. 29 following a six-month layoff, worked five furlongs 1:00.0. Muth, who finished last as the favorite in the California Crown, worked four furlongs in 47.40 seconds. Fort Bragg completed his four-furlong drill in 49.40 seconds. He most recently was fourth in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Sept. 29 following a nine-month layoff.

Several other Breeders’ Cup candidates were also on the tab. Full Serrano, runner-up in the GI Pacific Classic going 1 ¼ miles at Del Mar, drilled five furlongs in 59.80 seconds. Trainer John Sadler said Full Serrano is targeting the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile rather than the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 ¼ miles

“He got sick and missed some time when he came back up from Del Mar,” Sadler said after the work. “He wasn’t able to run in the California Crown and I’m not sure if he’d be ready to go a mile-and-a-quarter (in the Classic).”

Imported from Argentina, Full Serrano prior to the Pacific Classic was a sharp allowance winner in his U.S. debut going a mile on dirt at Del Mar. The 5-year-old horse by Full Mast is owned by Hronis Racing.

Sadler also said Alpha Bella, runner-up in the GII Zenyatta Sept. 29 at Santa Anita, would not run in the Breeders’ Cup and instead go in the GIII Bayakoa at one mile on dirt on the Breeders’ Cup Saturday undercard.

Stronghold, winner of the GI Santa Anita Derby in April, worked three furlongs in 39.60 seconds for trainer Phil D’Amato. It was his first work since finishing second in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 21. Over the weekend, D’Amato said Stronghold is possible for the Dirt Mile or he could wait for the GI Malibu on Dec. 26.

Sugar Fish, winner of the Zenyatta for trainer Jeff Mullins, worked five furlongs in 1:01.40. After the work, Mullins said he is “undecided” if the 3-year-old by Accelerate would go on to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Mullins said he is also undecided on if his 2-year-old colt Artislas would run in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Last month, the son of Catalina Cruiser won the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf. Then last Sunday, Artislas finished first in the GIII Zuma Beach at Santa Anita, but was disqualified and placed third due to a bumping incident right near the wire.

MILESTONE: D’AMATO GETS CAREER WIN NO. 1,000

Trainer Phil D’Amato won his 1,000th race Sunday when Wishes to Riches ($4.20) scored in the sixth race at Santa Anita under Kyle Frey. Wishes to Riches, a 3-year-old Grazen filly, was also bred and is co-owned by D’Amato.

Following the win, D’Amato was joined in the Winner’s Circle by wife Sherri, son Ryan and stepdaughter Jessica Pyfer, winner of the 2021 Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey.

“To celebrate this with the whole family is great,” D’Amato said. “I also bred this horse. He’s by one of my favorite stallions, Grazen. It’s just all really cool.”

D’Amato, a 48-year-old native of San Pedro, Calif., started out as an assistant to late trainer Mike Mitchell. He won his first race in 2010. D’Amato then took over Mitchell’s stable in the spring of 2014 when Mitchell left training due to health reasons.

Entering Monday, D’Amato’s stable had banked $75,753,067. His best season came in 2022 when his barn racked up 125 wins and $11.9 million in earnings. D’Amato has won six trainer’s titles at Santa Anita and 20 Grade I races, including this year’s GI Santa Anita Derby with Stronghold and the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with Obviously.

“It’s a real special milestone for any trainer,” D’Amato said. “It’s not without a lot of hard work and having a great staff, owners and horses. It’s really a combined effort.”

APPRENTICE JOCKEY ORANTES GETS 1ST SANTA ANITA WIN

Apprentice jockey Welfin Orantes, a 26-year-old native of Guatemala, got his first-ever win at Santa Anita Sunday aboard Gracie’s Big Day ($6.20) in the eighth race for trainer Ron Ellis.

“It feels great, beautiful,” Orantes said from the Winner’s Circle. “It’s hard to explain but thank you to the people for letting me ride these beautiful horses.”

Orantes started his riding career in 2022 at Golden Gate.

He also rode at Emerald Downs in 2023 before relocating to Southern California. After spending several months as an exercise rider for Santa Anita-based trainer Leonard Powell, Orantes’ first mount on the Southern California circuit came at Los Alamitos on June 22. Entering Monday, Orantes this year has seven wins from 67 mounts. He is represented by agent Susan McBrayer.

FINISH LINES: Monday’s feature is the $80,000 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile on turf, which goes as the seventh race at approximately 4 p.m. PT. In a competitive nine-horse field, eastern invader Queen of the Mud with Juan Hernandez up is a tepid 3-1 program favorite for trainer Graham Motion…Spurred by a $56,711 carryover, Sunday’s $2 Pick Six paid $2,134.20 for 121 winning tickets. The total pool was $433,939.00…Sunday’s Super High 5, which started with a $19,049 carryover, paid $6,278.90 with the winner being favorite One Time Mark ($5.20). The Super High 5 is offered on the final race each day…Following Monday’s program, live racing returns to Santa Anita Friday with an eight-race card starting at 1 p.m.