STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2024

• WORKS: BREEDERS CUP-BOUND CABO SPIRIT RETURNS TO TAB • CARMONA’S 1st WIN AT SANTA ANITA COMES WITH A TWIST OF FATE • GRAND SLAM SMILE HEADED HOME AFTER 5th STAKES WIN • WITH 56K CARRYOVER, SUNDAY’S PICK 6 STARTS AT 2:30 P.M. • JOCKEY HERNANDEZ TALLIES ANOTHER HAT TRICK SUNDAY • SPECIAL HOLIDAY CARD MONDAY WITH $1 BEERS, $2 HOT DOGS

WORKS: BREEDERS’ CUP-BOUND CABO SPIRIT RETURNS TO TAB Cabo Spirit, upset winner of the GII, California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Sept. 28 at Santa Anita, returned to the work tab Sunday with an easy four furlong move on the main track in 51.40 seconds.

Trainer George Papaprodromou said he was happy with the work and reaffirmed Cabo Spirit is pointed to the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

In the 1 1/4-mile John Henry, Cabo Spirit was able to set a modest pace under Abel Cedillo was never headed en route to a one-length victory at odds of 24-1. The win snapped an 11-race losing streak for Cabo Spirit dating back to October 2022 in the GII Twilight Derby at Santa Anita.

As reported by Daily Racing Form two weeks ago, since the John Henry was not a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf, owner Kretz Racing will have to pay $150,000 in pre-entry and entry fees for Cabo Spirit to take on some of the world’s best turf horses.

Also working towards expected starts in the Breeders’ Cup were Mixto (Classic), Anisette (Filly & Mare Turf), Supa Speed (Juvenile Fillies Turf) and Motorious (Turf Sprint).

Mixto, winner of the GI Pacific Classic last out for trainer Doug O’Neill, worked five furlongs in 1:02.00. Anisette, most recently third in the GII John C. Mabee, worked five furlongs on the main track in 1:04.00 for trainer Leonard Powell. Supa Speed, exiting a second in the Del Juvenile Fillies Turf Sept. 7, drilled five furlongs on the main track in 1:02.00 for trainer John Sadler. Motorious, winner of the GIII Green Flash at Del Mar last out on Aug. 31, worked three furlongs on the training track in 59.60 seconds for trainer Phil D’Amato. It was the fastest of 16 works at the distance.

GRAND SLAM SMILE DOING WELL, HEADED HOME AFTER 5th STAKES WIN

Less than 11 hours after earning her fifth stakes win at Santa Anita, Grand Slam Smile was on a trailer and headed home to Pleasanton with trainer Steve Specht at the wheel.

“She’s doing fine. Came out of the race in great shape,” Specht said by telephone. “We left Santa Anita about a quarter to four and are three-quarters of the way home.”

Grand Slam Smile, a 3-year-old, added to her glowing resume Saturday with a one-length win in the California Distaff Handicap going about 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.

The California Distaff was Grand Slam Smile’s first time facing older horses and first-time racing on Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course.

A homebred for Larry Williams and Marianne Williams, Grand Slam Smile is by Smiling Tiger out of the Grand Slam mare Royal Grand Slam. She now has $511,400 in earnings with a record of 10: 6-3-1. In all 10 starts, Grand Slam Smile has been ridden by veteran jockey Frank Alvarado. He has 4,072 wins in a career that began in 1990.

In addition to winning five stakes for statebreds, Grand Slam Smile also has a Grade III-placing to her credit earned when finishing third in the Torrey Pines going a mile on dirt Aug. 31 at Del Mar.

As for Grand Slam Smile’s potential next assignment, Specht said “we’ll wait for whatever comes up at Santa Anita.

“She doesn’t seem to care for Del Mar all that much,” Specht said.

Once Santa Anita commences its fall meet in two weeks on Oct. 27, the Southern California circuit moves to Del Mar for its five-week fall meet beginning Oct. 31 and ending Dec. 1. Racing returns to Santa Anita for its traditional winter-spring stand starting Dec. 26.

Specht said a second crack at a graded stakes victory could be in play for Grand Slam Smile.

“I wouldn’t be afraid to venture out against open company. Really it will just come down to the timing where we end up next,” Specht added.

CARMONA’S 1st WIN AT SANTA ANITA COMES WITH A TWIST OF FATE

Serafin Carmona, a 37-year-old apprentice jockey, earned his first-ever win at Santa Anita Saturday when scoring in the fourth race aboard longshot Sapadilla ($45.60) for trainer George Papaprodromou.

A native of Panama, Carmona’s first win came Jan. 28 at Fair Grounds. His maiden-breaker at Santa Anita came in a $16,000 claimer for non-winners of two races going 5 ½ furlongs on dirt. It also came with a melancholic twist of fate.

The fourth race Saturday was named in honor of late trainer David Hofmans, a longtime Santa Anita stalwart who died on July 3 at the age of 81. Carmona began his career as an exercise rider at Santa Anita in 2010. His first employer? David Hofmans.

“He gave me my first steady job,” Carmona recalled from the Winner’s Circle. “He gave me a shot when I was just starting out. He was a nice man. A very respectful man. It’s so sad what happened.”

After spending more than a decade as an exercise rider, in early 2023 Carmona decided it was time to take a shot at being a jockey. He moved to Canterbury Park in Minnesota where his first ride came on July 26. Carmona would go winless in his first 82 mounts before finally reaching the Winner’s Circle at Fair Grounds in January.

After that first win, Carmona’s career quickly took off. He was back at Canterbury Park this year for its 54-day meet beginning May 18. On the evening of July 12 at Canterbury, Carmona would win five races including his first stakes aboard Xavey Dave for perennial Canterbury leading trainer Mac Robertson. He finished the Canterbury season second in the jockey’s standings with 60 wins from 289 mounts, a 21 percent strike rate and $1,262,479 in earnings.

On closing day of the Canterbury meet Sept. 28, Carmona was presented with a surprise from agent Chuck Costanzo, himself a former jockey.

“My agent told me on that final Sunday, ‘Don’t make any plans, we’re going to do something,” Carmona said. “I thought he meant we were going out to dinner or something. Well, instead, he presented me with plane tickets for us to come here. It came out of the blue. It wasn’t like, ‘Hey, I want to go back to Santa Anita.” Carmona’s first mount at Santa Anita came on Oct. 4. He was 0-for-12 before winning aboard Sapadilla.

“This is such a magnificent place,” said Carmona, whose apprenticeship ends in May. “Those beautiful mountains over there have been witness to so many great horses and jockeys. God gave me this shot. I’m so grateful.”

Carmona, who now has 69 career wins, has one mount Sunday and three on Monday. His ride Sunday comes in the eighth race, a $50,000 maiden claimer for 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs on dirt, aboard second-time starter Going With Her for trainer Peter Miller. Going With Her is 20-1 on the morning line.

__WITH $56K CARRYOVER, SUNDAY’S $2 PICK 6 STARTS AT 2:30 P.M. PT __

The pool for Sunday’s $2 Pick Six will start with a $56,711 carryover after there were no winning tickets Saturday at Santa Anita. First post Sunday is 1 p.m. PT for a nine-race card with the Pick Six starting in the fourth race at approximately 2:30 p.m.

The pool Sunday is expected to approach $500,000.

In Saturday’s Pick Six, a pair of winning longshots helped trigger the carryover. In the fourth race, Sapadilla scored as the longest shot on the board under apprentice jockey Serafin Carmona. Trained by George Papaprodromou, Sapadilla paid $45.60. Then in the nightcap, the featured $100,000 California Distaff Handicap, Grand Slam Smile won under Frank Alvarado and paid $23.40. Grand Slam Smile is trained by Steve Specht.

The consolation payout Saturday for tickets with 5-of-6 correct selections was $1,869.60.

The winning horses in Saturday’s Pick Six beginning with the fourth race were #1 Sapadilla ($45.60), #2 Escape Artist ($8.80), #2 Howin ($4.40), #9 Mahina ($13.40), #4 Mirahmadi ($4.20), #10 Grand Slam Smile ($23.40).

FINISH LINES: Jockey Juan Hernandez earned his second hat trick in three race days Saturday at Santa Anita. All three wins came aboard favorites for trainer Bob Baffert. Hernandez won the third race on Cavalleri ($2.60), the sixth aboard Howin ($4.40) and the eighth race on Mirahmadi ($4.20)…Sunday’s feature is the $100,000 California Flag Handicap at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. It goes as the seventh race at approximately 4 p.m… Santa Anita will host a special holiday card Monday featuring the Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile on turf. On-track patrons will also receive $1 beers and sodas and $2 hot dogs…Santa Anita morning-line maker Jeff Seigel will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT.