Unbeaten in four starts by a combined 25 1/2 lengths, trainer Mark Glatt's Magic At Midnight will try stakes competition for the first time as she squares off with Wesley Ward's multiple stakes winning Jo Jo Air in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes, which has attracted a field of seven fillies and mares 3 years old and up at 5 1/2 furlongs over the turf at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
Named for the late Central Valley-based California state senator, the Maddy Stakes, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, was run as the Autumn Days Handicap prior to 1999.
MAGIC AT MIDNIGHT
Owner: Michael A. and Michael L. Moran & Joseph Moran
Trainer: Mark Glatt
Claimed for $30,000 out of a first-out 13-length romp on July 14 at Los Alamitos, this 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute has been nothing short of tremendous in three subsequent starts for Glatt, including a 2 3/4-length score in her only try on grass two starts back in a five-furlong turf allowance at Del Mar Aug. 14. Brilliantly fast, Magic At Midnight has never been headed in all four of her starts and has been favored in her last three, the most recent in which she overcame a stumble at the break en route to a one-length score in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance on Sept. 7. Out of the stakes placed Dixie Union mare Magical Blend, Magic At Midnight's value would be greatly enhanced should she win the G3 Maddy.
JO JO AIR
Owner: Andrew Farm & Mrs. Charlie O'Connor
Trainer: Wesley Ward
A two-time non-graded stakes winner, this 4-year-old filly by Scat Daddy is well traveled, evidenced by the fact her appearance in the Maddy will mark the ninth different track she's competed at in what will be her 13th start—all of them turf sprints. Most recently well beaten as the 4-5 favorite over a yielding course in a five-furlong stakes at Pimlico Oct. 1, Jo Jo Air rallied to take Del Mar's five-furlong Daiseycutter by a neck two starts back on July 24 under Flavien Prat, with whom she'll be reunited on Saturday. A $325,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Jo Jo Air, who is out of the Grand Slam mare Tessie Flip, will be competing in her first ever graded stakes. With an overall mark of 12-4-1-0, she has earnings of $201,474.
AN EDDIE SURPRISE
Owner: Reddam Racing, LLC
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
The leading money earner in the field, this Reddam Racing homebred 5-year-old mare by Square Eddie has been idle since rallying to win the 5 1/2-furlong turf Wishing Well Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 17 and looms dangerous over a course she adores. A California-bred, she's out of the High Demand mare Dani Reese and all five of her career wins have come over the Santa Anita lawn. With an overall mark of 26-5-9-4, An Eddie Surprise will be handled by regular rider Mario Gutierrez as she tries to pad her earnings of $341,952.
G3 SENATOR KEN MADDY STAKES
WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT
- Jo Jo Air—Flavien Prat—124
- Biddy Duke—Juan Hernandez–118
- An Eddie Surprise—Mario Gutierrez—124
- Lakerball—Mike Smith—124
- Magic At Midnight—Abel Cedillo—122
- Aqua Seaform Shame—Umberto Rispoli–118
- Zee Drop—Ricky Gonzalez—122
First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. Santa Anita's races can be viewed live and free of charge at santaanita.com
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