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Santa Anita Stable Notes Sunday, May 12, 2024
5/12/2024
STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN
__SUNDAY, MAY 12, 2024 __
Photo: Ernie Belmonte
• WORK TAB: SUBSANADOR GEARS UP FOR GII HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP • DESERT CODE, MIZDIRECTION STAKES NEXT WEEK’S FEATURES • SUNDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 1:16 P.M. PT • RISPOLI WINS 2 SATURDAY, CLOSES GAP IN JOCKEY’S RACE
WORK TAB: SUBSANADOR GEARS UP FOR GII HOLLYWOOD GOLD CUP Grade I Santa Anita Handicap runner-up Subsanador, now trained by Richard Mandella following a private sale, had a stiff one-mile work in preparation for an expected start in the GII Hollywood Gold Cup May 27 at Santa Anita.
A 5-year-old Argentina-bred by the Distorted Humor stallion Fortify, Subsanador completed his drill in 1:39.60. Last Saturday, he worked seven furlongs in 1:26.60.
Subsanador was beaten just a head by Newgate in the 1 ¼-mile Big ‘Cap when trained by John Sadler. It was his second start in the U.S.
The 1 ¼-mile Hollywood Gold Cup is part of a special Memorial Day program at Santa Anita. Also to be run that day are the GI Shoemaker Mile on turf and GI Gamely for older fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Among the workers for Bob Baffert were Grade I winners Adare Manor and Du Jour. Adare Manor, winner of the GI Apple Blossom April 13 at Oaklawn Park, sizzled four furlongs in 46.40 seconds. It was the fastest of 74 moves at the distance.
Du Jour, winner of the GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 3 at Santa Anita, worked five furlongs in 1:01.00.
Trainer Doug O’Neill worked a quartet of stakes horses. Two Rivers Over, winner of the GII Godolphin Mile in Dubai March 3, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20. The 4-year-old Tamarkuz gelding is pointed to the GI Metropolitan Handicap on the Belmont Stakes undercard June 8 at Saratoga.
Happy Jack worked four furlongs in 47.40 seconds for O’Neill. It was his first work since returning from a nearly 10-month layoff April 27 and finishing just three-quarters of a length back of crack sprinter The Chosen Vron in the 6 ½-furlongs Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita.
Also working for O’Neill were stakes winners E J Won the Cup (5f, 58.60*) and Mucho Del Oro (4f. 49.40).
In all, there were 226 workouts combined between the main track and training track.
DESERT CODE, MIZDIRECTION STAKES NEXT WEEK’S FEATURES The hillside turf course takes the spotlight next week as both scheduled stakes, the $100,000 Desert Stormer and $100,000 Mizdirection Stakes, are contested over Santa Anita’s unique layout.
The Mizdirection on Saturday is for older fillies and mares and attracted 11 nominees. Candidates to run include Miss Lizzy for Doug O’Neill, Getthemoney for trainer Brian Koriner and Lucky Girl for Phil D’Amato. That trio completed the superfecta behind winner Ag Bullet in the April 6 GIII Monrovia down the hill.
Miss Lizzy was second by 1 ½ lengths with a head back to Getthemoney in third and another neck back to Lucky Girl in fourth.
Nominee The Wild Grazer would also loom large if trainer Jeff Mullins decides to enter. She is 2-for-3 on the hillside course. On March 29, The Wild Grazer returned from an eight-month layoff and promptly scored in a second-level allowance.
Trainer Jonathan Thomas nominated Grade III winner Selenaia, who would get a touch of class relief in her first-time sprinting and second start off the layoff. On April 4 at Santa Anita, Selenaia returned after seven months on the sidelines in the GIII Wilshire at a mile on turf. The 4-year-old Sea the Moon filly was forwardly place before fading late to finish ninth. Last year, Selenaia won the GIII Honeymoon going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.
The race’s namesake, Mizdirection, won back-to-back runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Santa Anita in 2012 and 2013 when contested on the hillside course. Trained by Mike Puype, Mizdirection was retired after the 2013 Breeders’ Cup with a record of 17: 11-4-1 and $1,719,621 in earnings. She was campaigned by sport-radio personality Jim Rome’s Jungle Racing and partners.
The Desert Code next Sunday is for 3-year-olds and attracted nine nominees. D’Amato nominated both stakes winner King of Gosford and ascending Ireland-bred Sorrento Sky.
King of Gosford won the April 7 John Shear Stakes on the hillside course by a length over Raging Torrent, who would return on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs and romp by 8 ¼ lengths in a first-level allowance on dirt going seven furlongs.
Sorrento Sky broke her maiden going 6 ½ furlongs on the flat turf course in her U.S. bow April 4. She returned May 4 in a first-level allowance at six furlongs on the flat turf course and was a solid third after finding trouble.
Trainer Bob Baffert nominated GII winner Wynstock, who would be making his first start on grass. The Solomini colt won the GII Los Alamitos Futurity in December but has since run a pair of clunkers. Wynstock finished last of 11 in the GIII Southwest at Oaklawn Park in February and then was a no-factor sixth in the GI Santa Anita Derby April 6.
Desert Code, the horse, won the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on the hillside course for trainer David Hofmans. On Saturday at Santa Anita, 81-year-old Hofmans won the seventh race with Seventeen Black ($12.20). It was the second win from 10 starters this year for Hofmans.
Desert Code was campaigned by Tarabilla Farms. He was retired after an off-the-board finish in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint with a record of 24: 7-4-2 and $1,088,939 in earnings.
Entries for the Mizdirection will be taken on Wednesday. The field for the Desert Code will be set on Thursday.
SUNDAY’S $1 COAST-TO-COAST PICK 5 STARTS AT 1:16 P.M. PT Sunday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts with the seventh race from Gulfstream Park at 1:16 p.m. PT. The sequence also includes the ninth from Gulfstream and races three, five and seven from Santa Anita.
In Saturday’s Coast-to-Coast Pick 5, there was just one winning ticket which returned $109,917.80.
Sunday’s seventh at Gulfstream is an allowance/optional claimer for 3-year-olds at five furlongs on turf. Quimichis, with Edgar Zayas up, is the 8-5 program favorite for trainer Fausto Gutierrez.
The third at Santa Anita is a $25,000 claimer for older horses at a mile on turf. Flavius with jockey Juan Hernandez is the 4-5 morning line favorite for trainer Richard Baltas.
The ninth at Gulfstream is an allowance/optional claimer for fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf. In a field of 10, Ticker Tape Home with Zayas is the tepid 3-1 favorite for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.
The fifth at Santa Anita is a starter allowance at six furlongs on turf. Give Me the Lute with Hernandez up is the 2-1 favorite for Kristin Mulhall.
The anchor leg, the seventh from Santa Anita, is a $32,000 claimer at a mile on turf. Freedom Lass with jockey Geovanni Franco is the 9-5 favorite for trainer Phil D’Amato.
The Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 features a player-friendly 15 percent takeout rate. It is offered every Saturday and Sunday through the end of the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet June 16.
FINISH LINES: Jockey Umberto Rispoli won two races Saturday to take sole possession of second place in the Hollywood Meet jockey’s standings. Rispoli scored in the fifth with favorite Spicybug ($5.40) for trainer Michael McCarthy and the seventh with Seventeen Black ($12.20) for trainer David Hofmans. Rispoli now has 10 wins at the stand, two fewer than leader Kyle Frey…Trainer Jeff Bonde won his first race at the Hollywood Meet with We’ll Do It Live ($10) under Frey in Saturday’s fourth race…Saturday’s $1 Pick 6 returned $3,608.80 for 20 winning tickets…Following Sunday’s nine-race program, live racing will resume Friday with first post at 1 p.m…Every Friday during the Hollywood Meet, on-track patrons will receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.