STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SUNDAY, MAY 14, 2023

• • DR. SCHIVEL ROLLS IN COMEBACK, CAPS 3-WIN DAY FOR GLATT
• • OFFLEE NAUGHTY DOING WELL AFTER GIII SAN LUIS REY SCORE
• • COUNTRY GRAMMER, TAIBA AMONG NOTABLE WORKERS SUNDAY
• • POST-POSITION DRAW FOR 148TH PREAKNESS IS MONDAY
• __• MIZDIRECTION STAKES, DESERT CODE ON TAP NEXT WEEK __
• • TICKETS FOR BREEDERS’ CUP AT SANTA ANITA NOW ON SALE

DR. SCHIVEL ROLLS IN COMEBACK, CAPS 3-WIN DAY FOR MARK GLATT

After being sidelined nearly 14 months, multiple Grade I winner Dr. Schivel looked to be as good as ever on Saturday when rolling to a 4 ¼ -length victory in a classified allowance here going six furlongs. On Sunday, trainer Mark Glatt reported the 5-year-old horse emerged from his comeback in good order.

“He’s doing well. We’re very happy with him,” Glatt said.

Dr. Schivel won in a sharp final time of 1:09.19 for six furlongs under Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez. Left in his wake was last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint runner-up C Z Rocket, who hopped at the start under Ramon Vazquez and had to be hustled to put pressure on the eventual winner.

Dr. Schivel led C Z Rocket by two lengths after a half mile in 44.71 seconds and extended his advantage through the stretch. He returned $3.00 in a field that was reduced to three starters after scratches.

Glatt acknowledged the performance from Dr. Schivel may have even exceeded expectations.

“Yeah, I think so,” he said. “We expected him to win. It was a pretty cozy spot for a horse coming off a 14-month layoff, but maybe he did it a little easier than I thought given the circumstances.”

Dr. Schivel had not started since March 2022 when he was third in the GI Dubai Golden Shaheen in the Middle East. As a 3-year-old in 2021, the son of Violence won the GI Bing Crosby and GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship before an agonizing nose defeat in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar. As a 2-year-old Dr. Schivel won the GI Del Mar Futurity.

Glatt said Dr. Schivel would likely make his next start outside of California before trying for a second win in the Bing Crosby this summer at Del Mar.

“We’re in discussions, but he’ll probably have to travel and then the Bing Crosby,” Glatt said.

Dr. Schivel is owned by Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and William A. Branch. He has a record of 6-2-2 in 11 starts with more than $1.1 million in earnings.

Dr. Schivel’s victory was Glatt’s third win on Saturday’s card. He now has eight wins at the Hollywood Meet to tie with Phil D’Amato atop the trainer’s standings. Glatt also won the second race with It’s My House ($5.60) and the sixth race with Suzie Qzz Brother ($13.20).

“It was a great day. You don’t have days like that very often in this business,” Glatt said. “Everyone ran well, but today is a new day. It starts all over.”

STREAKING OFFLEE NAUGHTY DOING WELL AFTER GIII SAN LUIS REY SCORE

Offlee Naughty was doing well Sunday morning one day after winning his second-straight graded stakes and third race overall in Saturday’s GIII San Luis Rey going 1 ½ miles on turf.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Offlee Naughty unleashed his customary late kick in the stretch under Umberto Rispoli to score by 1 ¼ lengths. He paid $5.20 as the 8-5 favorite. On Sunday, McCarthy said the 5-year-old Flashback horse appeared to be no worse for wear.

“He ran well and came out of the race well,” the trainer said.

Offlee Naughty is campaigned by James M. Daniell and Donna Daniell. A mere $4,000 auction purchase as a 2-year-old, he has now banked $370,645 with a record of 5-1-1 in 17 starts. In his two previous starts, Offlee Naughty set a track record at Turfway Park when winning a 1 ¼-mile allowance on synthetic and then upset the GII Charles Whittingham here going 1 ¼ miles on turf April 8.

“He’s been able to get into a nice rhythm,” McCarthy explained of Offlee Naughty’s emergence this winter and spring. “We had a couple of races this winter at Turfway that didn’t fill, but now he’s had some consistency. Added furlongs are always a bonus for him also. He has plenty of stamina.”

McCarthy said Offlee Naughty would likely make his next start in the $100,000 GIII San Juan Capistrano at about 1 ¾ miles on turf here June 18, which is closing day of the Hollywood Meet.

COUNTRY GRAMMER, TAIBA AMONG NOTABLE WORKERS SUNDAY AT SANTA ANITA

There were 208 timed workouts at Santa Anita on an overcast Sunday morning. Notable workers included multiple Grade I winners Country Grammer and Taiba, who each drilled six furlongs from the gate for Bob Baffert.

Country Grammer completed his move 1:12.60, while Taiba went in 1:11.60 to earn the bullet for the distance.

Country Grammer’s only two starts this year came in the Middle East. The 6-year-old Tonalist horse was second in the GI Saudi Cup on Feb. 25 and then a disappointing seventh as the favorite in GI Dubai World Cup March 25. He is expected to try for a second win in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup here on May 29. Country Grammer previously won the 1 ¼-mile race in 2021.

Taiba is ticketed for the GI Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 10, which is part of the Belmont Stakes card. The 4-year-old Gun Runner colt, who won the GI Malibu here Dec. 26, has not started since running eighth in the Saudi Cup.

Baffert also worked Grade I winner Fun to Dream, who most recently was second in the GI Beholder Mile here March 11. The California-bred filly by Arrogate, whose record is 6-1-0 in eight starts, went four furlongs in 47.60 seconds.

Also working Sunday was Grade I winner Queen Goddess, who is pointed to the GI Gamely here on May 29. The 5-year-old Empire Maker mare went five furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer Michael McCarthy. In two starts this year Queen Goddess won the GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf on Jan. 28 at Gulfstream Park and was sixth in the GI Jenny Wiley at Keeneland April 15.

Slow Down Andy, who has not started since finishing second in last November’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland for trainer Doug O’Neill, worked a half mile in 48.80 seconds.

Notable workers on the training track included Balnikhov (4f, 50.60), recent winner of the GIII San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate for trainer Phil D’Amato; and top California-bred The Chosen Vron (1:01.60), who won the Sensational Star here on March 19 for his third stakes win in as many starts this year for trainer Eric Kruljac.

FINISH LINES: The post-position draw for this Saturday’s 148th Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, which includes Santa Anita-based National Treasure, will be held Monday starting at 2:30 p.m. PT. It can be viewed at Preakness.com or facebook.com/Preakness…Next week Santa Anita will host the Mizdirection Stakes for older fillies and mares on Saturday and Desert Code for 3-year-olds on Sunday. Both are contested at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course…After only two favorites won on Saturday’s nine-race card, the win rate for chalk at the Hollywood Meet ticked down to 29.25 percent…There is a Rainbow 6 Jackpot carryover of $100,250 for Sunday’s eight-race card... Tickets to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita are now on sale. Tickets can be purchased at BreedersCup.com/ticket.