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Santa Anita Stable Notes Thursday, March 7, 2024
3/7/2024
STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN __THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2024 __
Photo: Ernie Belmonte
- GIII SAN SIMEON: D’AMATO IS HIGH ON IMPORT OTTOMAN PRINCE - INTRIGUING 3-YEAR-OLD PROSPECTS TANGLE IN SATURDAY MAIDEN - GI WINNER QUEEN GODDESS IS RETIRED - RACING RETURNS FRIDAY WITH 8-RACE CARD STARTING AT 12:30 P.M.
GIII SAN SIMEON: D’AMATO IS HIGH ON IMPORT OTTOMAN PRINCE In a field of largely familiar faces, the big unknown in Saturday’s $100,000, GIII San Simeon Stakes on the hillside turf course is European import Ottoman Prince.
Bred in Ireland, the 4-year-old gelding by Zoffany makes his U.S. debut for top turf trainer Phil D’Amato. In England, Ottoman Prince won three of six starts with one runner-up finish for trainer Mark Prescott. When last seen at Epsom in October, he won a 1 1/16-mile Handicap Stakes by 2 ½ lengths under 130 pounds.
“Nice horse. He kind of reminds me a little bit of the horse I have Motorious,” D’Amato said Thursday morning. Motorious won last year’s San Simeon and also the GIII Green Flash at Del Mar. He ended the year running fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint here Nov. 4. The now 6-year-old gelding by Muhaarar has been back working since mid-February.
Ottoman Prince was imported by owner Anthony Fanticola. He has worked eight times on dirt since Jan. 7 for his U.S. unveiling, which includes a sharp five-furlong move in 1:00.00 last Friday. In another promising sign, Ottoman Prince has lured the services of top jockey Flavien Prat for his U.S. unveiling.
“He’s been training very well and acts like he may like the hillside course,” D’Amato said. “These Europeans tend to like that configuration.”
Ottoman Prince is 8-1 on the morning line.
The San Simeon is one of three graded stakes on a nine-race card set for Saturday. Post time is approximately 3 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Mynumerouno, Drayden Van Dyke (20-1); Irideo, Jeremy Laprida (5-1); Mucho Del Oro, Juan Hernandez (4-1); Dancing Buck, Edwin Maldonado (6-1); Sumter, Umberto Rispoli (6-1); Ottoman Prince, Flavien Prat (8-1); Lane Way, Mike Smith (3-1); Air Force Red, Frankie Dettori (4-1); Daniel’s Magic, Kazushi Kimura (15-1).
INTRIGUING 3-YEAR-OLD PROSPECTS TANGLE IN SATURDAY MAIDEN In addition to three graded stakes, Saturday’s nine-race card includes a 3-year-old maiden race at 6 ½ furlongs on dirt that features several intriguing prospects.
Trainers Bob Baffert and Mark Glatt each have a pair of debuting colts entered in a field of 10. Trainer John Sadler will unveil Pony Express, a $500,000 son of Gun Runner.
Baffert’s runners are Canada Gate (7-2), a Juddmonte homebred by Constitution; and Winterfell, an Arrogate colt and lukewarm 3-1 morning-line favorite.
Juddmonte’s Canada Gate is out of stakes winner Princess Karen, by Stay Thirsty. Winterfell was a $400,000 purchase at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. He is out of Forest Fashion, by Forest Wildcat.
Winterfell has worked eight times since Jan. 10, while Canada Gate shows four works on the tab. Last Friday, each worked five furlongs from the gate in a sharp 59.80 seconds.
Glatt’s first-time starters are Santarena (6-1) and Ball Don’t Lie (6-1), who are each owned in partnership by Muir Hut Stables and Saints or Sinners.
Santarena was a $425,000 buy at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. Glatt signed the ticket as agent. He is by Omaha Beach out of multiple stakes winner Catch My Fancy, by Yes It’s True. Santarena has worked seven times since Jan. 7.
Ball Don’t Lie was purchased by Glatt as agent for $165,000 at the same Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale. He is by Blame out of the unraced Yes It’s True mare Real Clever Trick. Ball Don’t Lie’s work tab includes four gate drills. On Feb. 25, he worked four furlongs from the gate in a quick 47.00 seconds. It was the second-fastest of 131 moves at the distance that day.
“Both are very nice colts,” Glatt said Thursday morning. “It’s hard to separate them based on what they’ve done in the mornings. But they are well-meant Saturday.”
Ball Don’t Lie will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, while Santarena has the services of Kazushi Kimura.
This crew of promising maidens tangle in Saturday’s fourth race. Post time is time set for 2:03 p.m. PT. The field in post position order with morning line odds: Vlahos, Edwin Maldonado (8-1), Pony Express, Umberto Rispoli (4-1); Promissio, Antonio Fresu (20-1); Feel the Magic, John Velazquez (6-1); Ball Don’t Lie, Frankie Dettori (6-1); Canada Gate, Flavien Prat (7-2); Arabian Flirt, Edgar Payeras (20-1); Santarena, Kazushi Kimura (6-1); Uncle Mo’s Gold, Tyler Baze (20-1); Winterfell, Juan Hernandez (3-1).
GI WINNER QUEEN GODDESS IS RETIRED, WILL VISIT INTO MISCHIEF Grade I winner Queen Goddess has been retired and will be bred this year to top sire Into Mischief, trainer Michael McCarthy confirmed Thursday.
Campaigned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gary Barber, Queen Goddess claimed Grade I glory in the 2021 American Oaks and added graded stakes victories in both 2022 and 2023. Last year, Queen Goddess won the GII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park.
“Starting her career as a 3-year-old at Del Mar, she won two of her first three races that summer. She showed her hand right off the bat what kind of filly she was,” McCarthy said Thursday. “To go on and win both the American Oaks and Pegasus, that was a big deal.”
Queen Goddess’s racing career ends with a record 6-3-2 in 18 starts and $862,580 in earnings. She attempted to defend her Pegasus World Cup title in January but finished seventh in what was her final start.
“She was just a high-quality filly all the way around,” McCarthy said.
FINISH LINES: Live racing resumes Friday with an eight-race card starting at 12:30 p.m. PT…Juan Hernandez won three races Monday to extend his lead in the jockey’s race. He now has 40 wins at the Classic Meet, five more than runner-up Flavien Prat…Doug O’Neill, who won Monday’s fourth race with Refocus ($3.40), has drawn even with Mark Glatt in the race for leading trainer. Both have 21 wins at the Classic Meet entering this week’s action…The first 1,000 fans with paid admission Saturday will get a free print of the Santa Anita Classic Meet Jockey Colony. The print giveaway and autograph signing will be from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the East Paddock Gardens… Starting Sunday, first post moves to 1 p.m. PT most days for the remainder of the meet.