All The Time…

Few sires are hotter right now than Taylor Made's Not This Time, who has the fewest crops of any of the top 10 sires on the 2022 general sire list. In addition to his one-two finish by Simplification and In Due Time in the Fountain of Youth, his Epicenter is also on the GI Kentucky Derby trail.

McGrath's Seal Of Approval…

Not This Time's 17 black-type winners include six graded winners and his sustained success recently prompted Chris McGrath to name Not This Time possibly Giant's Causeway's “principal American successor.”

No One Said It Was Easy…

Morello, who won the GIII Gotham S. Saturday, was the third-priciest Classic Empire 2-year-old sold at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale when he brought $250,000, but is out of a mare who once RNA'd for $1,500. Stop the Wedding eventually sold in 2020 at Keeneland January for $11,000 to Robert Tillyer–co-breeder of Morello–while in foal to Cairo Prince. Her offspring at the sales have been all over the place, with some RNA'ing for the low four figures, and another bringing $525,000 as a juvenile.

Not Just California Dreamin'

Although the top three money earners for Union Rags, standing for $30,000 this year, have all excelled in California–Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. victor Express Train, Paradise Woods, and Catalina Cruiser–the Lane's End sire is by no means a one-trick pony. He's had a Grade I-winning 2-year-old colt, as well as two Grade I-winning 2-year-old fillies, a Grade I-winning 3-year-old filly, and now a Grade I-winning older horse. He's had graded winners on dirt and turf, short and long. Along the way, he's accumulated 13 graded winners among his 23 black-type winners.

Brilliant Racehorse, Brilliant Sire…

“It's a great day for Pharoah horses. American Pharoah has meant so much to racing.” — Bob Baffert

American Pharoah has four graded stakes winners on dirt in North America this year, topping TDN's General Sire List by that metric. He's more than the real deal.

Lev Miller Picks Up A Gem…

GII Davona Dale S. heroine Kathleen O. (Upstart) is the first foal out of Quaver, who has been a frequent visitor to Tapwrit in recent years, resulting in a 2-year-old colt named Tap Collector (a $65,000 OBS yearling purchased by PJ Campanella) and a yearling filly. Gainesway, Bridlewood, and the Tapwrit syndicate had bought Quaver with Kathleen O. in utero for $90,000 at the 2019 Keeneland January sale, then resold her at last year's Keeneland November sale in foal to Tapwrit for $140,000 to Lev Miller.

Rising Star Update For Yeguada Centurion…

Taiba, a $140,000 Fasig-Tipton October yearling turned last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream second topper at $1.7 million, became the fourth 'TDN Rising Star' for Gun Runner. Interestingly, his dam, Needmore Flattery (Flatter), racked up more than $730,000 having never earned better than a 75 Beyer Speed Figure while competing mostly in Ohio-bred company. Needmore sold to Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals's Yeguada Centurion for $195,000 at Keeneland November in 2019 before being exported to France and foaling a filly by Uncle Mo.

The post TDN Snippets: Week of Feb. 28-Mar. 6 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The post Express Train On Top After Big ‘Cap Battle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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For a moment last Saturday, D. Wayne Lukas was going to sweep both Classic trials, Ethereal Road (Quality Road) just losing focus in the final strides of the GII Rebel S. after barnmate Secret Oath (Arrogate) had settled the GIII Honeybee S. with that exhilarating dart round the final corner. And if those of us marvelling from afar wished that we, too, might sample the rejuvenating properties of the thermal springs, then the good news is that we don't have to fly all the way there and book into Bathhouse Row.

Because it now falls within the compass of a single, extraordinary man to share among his whole community the dynamism he already appears to have imparted to Secret Oath. And he won't need a bottling plant. In the spine-tingling moment when his filly broke free of her inferiors last weekend, announcing herself at this point the most flamboyant talent of the crop, a sudden sunbeam broke across our benighted industry. Have we, in our hour of need, out of nowhere found a path to redemption?

Obviously, Lukas is too seasoned to be committing prematurely to the Derby. But don't tell me that one of the towering figures of the American Turf, seeing this filly maintain her current giddy trajectory, will turn his back on a challenge that so neatly dovetails the gilding of his own legacy with the overall interests of the sport.

It was a filly, of course, who in 1988 gave Lukas his first Derby. His three subsequent winners were all clustered in a five-year streak from 1995, interrupted only by the first pair saddled by another colorful arrival from the Quarter Horse world. That gentleman has long supplanted Lukas as the go-to trainer for the superpower investors, the transfer of the baton being aptly condensed (not least in their names) by two horses owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis: Silver Charm (Silver Buck), the first Derby winner saddled by Bob Baffert; and Charismatic (Summer Squall), the last saddled by Lukas.

Secret Oath's Honeybee romp | Coady

Or maybe not the last. But you know what, it scarcely matters whether or not Secret Oath can actually beat the boys in the Derby. Even to try would itself represent a huge win for a sport otherwise staring down the barrel of yet another public relations calamity, thanks to the very man whose silver charms have so faded over the past year.

We're not going to reprise the stagnant topic of whether Baffert's sense of personal injustice–whatever its merits–warrants the asphyxiation of his sport at the one time it receives the oxygen of publicity, in the first days of May. Because all of a sudden, over the horizon here comes a venerable knight riding to the rescue on his gray charger. All of sudden, All of sudden, the casting of Baffert as the specter at the Derby feast could become a relative sideshow.

As an outstanding visionary among modern American horsemen, with a born educator's sensitivity to the broader human fulfilments available in our trivial obsession, Lukas will surely be governed by the bigger picture in what may well prove the final benediction of a game-changing career.

At this stage of his life, would the old teacher and coach decline this priceless, paternal service to a beleaguered industry simply because Secret Oath would start at shorter odds in the GI Kentucky Oaks? At the very least, he can leave both options open by giving her a chance to earn the requisite gate points in the GI Arkansas Derby. And if she were to tackle that assignment in a fashion that extends the current dilemma, then it won't be a dilemma at all.

I mean, this is the man who even since last weekend has made us all feel humbled–if not downright ashamed, in some cases–by our failure to keep up with the indefatigable standards he still maintains in terms of evangelizing our way of life. Hardly anyone who heard or read his words (editor's note: Lukas Challenges Everyone “To Make a Difference” Every Day is located at the bottom of the story) to a Hot Springs conference can have remotely approached his eligibility to put his feet up, after so many decades of endeavor and achievement, and leave the future viability of the game in younger hands. Well, we may have younger hands. But we have none more vital and inspiring.

Just imagine having this guy front and center in Derby week! Not just intriguing, and winning over, the world outside; but energizing our base, challenging us all to be more deserving of the noble animal that ostensibly unites us all.

True, before coming up with the third filly to win the Derby, Lukas had also ended the fairytale of the second, Genuine Risk (Exclusive Native), with Codex (Arts and Letters) making a highly masculine swing to the fences on the final turn in the Preakness. Overall, however, the evidence suggests that Lukas trusts a filly to look after herself. Think Serena's Song (Rahy) in the GI Haskell; think Lady's Secret (Secretariat) in the GI Whitney; above all think Althea (Alydar) setting a track record that not even Secret Oath could hope to get near in the Arkansas Derby.

Okay, so Althea's performance at Churchill reminds us not to get too far ahead of ourselves. But in these dark days, when our parochial problems so plainly don't amount to the proverbial “hill of beans”, we must cling with all possible faith to such hope as we can find.

John Shirreffs | Horsephotos

Because every now then, we are blessed by the confluence of a great man and a great opportunity. Cometh the hour, and all that. It happened before, when Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) won us so many new friends largely because she happened to find her way into the care of a man not only touched by the genius necessary for her fulfilment, but every bit as uncommon in the more fundamental human register of integrity and intelligence.

That's why this feels like a week of rare promise for our embattled sport: because it has also been the week in which John Shirreffs finally secured an overdue nomination to the Hall of Fame. If it could end with the redress of another unconscionably prolonged anomaly, and a first success for Shirreffs in the GI Santa Anita H., then I really will begin to think that somebody up there might be looking out for our sport, after all.

We all know that this is no longer the race it was, thanks to the booty nowadays seducing horses to faraway deserts. But we also know we can rely on the trainer of Express Train (Union Rags) to cherish the undiminished luster of its heritage. For here is a man who truly understands and respects that everything we are privileged to do with horses, today, is built on foundations laid by so many generations who preceded us.

And who knows? So long as we have exemplars like Shirreffs and Lukas to illuminate the way–men burning with a passionate, perennial sense of our responsibilities to the Thoroughbred–perhaps we might yet find the magic springs to renew and revive our weary, limping old sport.

The post This Side Up: An Oath to Share the Secret of Eternal Youth appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Runner-up to Charlatan (Speightstown) in the 2020 GI Malibu S., the $500,000 Keeneland September acquisition filled the same spot behind Idol (Curlin) in this event 12 months ago. Third to recent G1 Saudi Cup second Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup a couple starts later, the bay was third to the late Medina Spirit (Protonico) in the GI Awesome Again S. and exits victories in the GII San Antonio S. Dec. 26 and a successful defense of his title in the GII San Pasqual S. Feb. 5.

“I hope there's a little speed in the race and we can sit a bit off it if all goes well,” said trainer John Shirreffs. “We're really happy with Express Train, how he's doing now and what he's accomplished.”

Though he has yet to get his picture taken in six outings since bringing $420,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July HORA Sale, Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) has earned back better than $483,000 with some high-profile performances. After completing the exacta at nearly 55-1 in the Awesome Again, the chestnut was a respectable fifth behind Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November before cutting back to seven furlongs to finish third to 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. He punched above his weight yet again when a longshot third to 'Rising Star' and G1 Dubai World Cup-bound Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 and is in line for another handsome payday here.

Warrant (Constitution) hasn't missed the top three in his eight trips to the post to date, finishing runner-up in the GIII West Virginia Derby last August ahead of a convincing 1 3/4-length success in the GIII Oklahoma Derby Sept. 26. Given a bit of a breather, the Twin Creeks homebred stands to come on greatly for his third-place effort to 'Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Saudi Cup third Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GIII Louisiana S. at the Fair Grounds Jan. 22.

The post Express Train Seeks Elusive Grade I in Big ‘Cap appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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With Eight Rings breaking on top, Express Train, along with both American Theorem and Law Professor, were in hot pursuit in the run to the Club House turn.  With American Theorem taken back off the dueling leaders at the seven-furlong pole, Express Train settled into a nice rhythm with Law Professor to his outside in the run to the far turn.

John Velazquez, aboard Eight Rings, stepped on the gas three furlongs out, but Express Train was just three quarters of a length back and he enjoyed a one length edge at the quarter pole.  At that point, Law Professor loomed ominously turning for home, but Express Train was able to shrug off the challenge approaching the furlong marker in a huge effort.

“It got a little complicated out of the gate because I thought the two horses outside of me were going to go and make the pace,” said Espinoza.  “Then the one (longshot Kiss Today Goodbye) decided to take back…So that kind of made my decision to go forward and stay there rather than be stuck on the inside.  It's all about the horses too.  Express Train, he helped me to move with such confidence at that point that I was not afraid to just let him go.

“I think the last time (a nose victory in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes Dec. 26), he won but he was not 100 percent, because he had a little time off in between that race.  But now, he's ready to go.  I had the opportunity to come and work him a couple times…Coming into this race I was confident but in the race, anything can happen.  Things got a little complicated, but we resolved them quick.”

The 8-5 favorite in a field of six older horses, Express Train, a 5-year-old horse by Union Rags, paid $5.20, $2.80 and $2.10.

Owned by Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable, LLC, Express Train, who is out of the Mineshaft mare I'm a Flake, registered his fourth graded stakes win and improved his overall mark to 16-6-4-3.  With the winner's take of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $935,800.

“I think this was a little bit more difficult for him,” said Shirreffs, when asked to compare Express Train's win today with his triumph in the 2021 San Pasqual.  “There was lot going on early with the fast pace…Nobody got to relax because Mike's horse (Smith, aboard American Theorem) came up on the outside and wanted to force the pace so it was do or die time then.  We're looking forward to the Big 'Cap.”

Trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Law Professor, who came into the race off a big win in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile Dec. 26, looked as though he'd give the winner all he wanted, but couldn't go with him the final three sixteenths of a mile.  Off at 4-1, he paid $4.20 and $2.60 while finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of early leader Eight Rings.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Eight Rings, the 2-1 favorite, paid $2.40 to show while finishing three quarters of a length in front of stablemate Spielberg.

Fractions on the race were 22.72, 47.16, 1:11.75 and 1:37.32.

First post time for a nine-race card, which will include two graded stakes on Sunday, is at 12:30 p.m.  Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

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A game nose winner over A-List sophomore Hot Rod Charlie in the G2 San Antonio Stakes going a mile and one sixteenth on Dec. 26, Express Train is the defending champ in the San Pasqual and he'll be seeking his fourth graded stakes win on Saturday.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train will be ridden back by Victor Espinoza, who delivered the mail at odds of 7-1 on opening day. A 5-year-old horse by Union Rags, Express Train is easily the leading money earner in the field with $815,800 from an overall mark of 15-5-4-3.

A newly turned 4-year-old, Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Law Professor prevailed in a protracted stretch battle with Grade 1 winner Beyond Brilliant to take the G2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile by a half length on Dec. 26 and he has the look of a “now horse” as he bids for his third consecutive victory.

Trained by Michael McCarthy, Law Professor, a 4-year-old gelding by Constitution, was ridden to consecutive wins by Jose Ortiz and will be handled for the first time by Juan Hernandez in the San Pasqual. With a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure in hand, Law Professor, who had raced on turf in his previous two starts, was off at 4-1 in the Mathis Mile, which was switched to the main track due to heavy rains. With three wins from seven starts, Law Professor seeks his second stakes win.

With John Velazquez riding him back, Bob Baffert's Eight Rings, who went to the front in the opening day San Antonio and nearly dead heated with Hot Rod Charlie for the place while beaten a half length by Express Train, rates a big chance in what will be his 14th career start. A Grade 1 winner here at two, Eight Rings is a 5-year-old horse by Empire Maker seeking his second graded stakes win and his fourth overall.

In a dominant gate to wire performance, trainer George Papaprodromou's American Theorem took a second condition allowance at a mile an one sixteenth by 2 ¼ lengths over Shooter's Shoot on Jan 2 and was flattered by the fact the runner-up came back to post a big second here in Saturday's G3 Palos Verdes Stakes.

Owned by Kretz Racing, LLC, American Theorem, who earned a 90 Beyer on Jan. 2, will likely employ similar front-running tactics with Mike Smith back aboard.

A Derby prospect a year ago, Baffert's Spielberg came back running off a 9 ½ month freshening to rally from off the pace and register a three-length win in a one mile second condition allowance Jan 14 and will be ridden back by Flavien Prat as he seeks his second graded stakes win. A 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, Spielberg is owned by Golconda Stables, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing, LLC, et al and is 10-3-3-1 overall.

THE GRADE 2 SAN PASQUAL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Kiss Today Goodbye—Abel Cedillo–120
2. Express Train—Victor Espinoza—124
3. American Theorem—Mike Smith—120
4. Eight Rings—John Velazquez—120
5. Spielberg—Flavien Prat—120
6. Law Professor—Juan Hernandez–124

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m., admission gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

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Some other very good fillies have won both the Test and Alabama prior to November Snow, including Love Sign (1980), Go for Wand (1990) and Versailles Treaty (1991).

After retiring with eight wins from 22 starts and earnings in excess of $500,000, November Snow did not produce any stakes winners herself, but her daughters have more than made up for that shortcoming. Graded stakes-placed November Slew (by Seattle Slew) produced Hiraboku Wild, a multiple stakes winner in Japan. Arctic Drift (Gone West) produced Australian Group 2 winner Kuroshio. Indian Snow (A. P. Indy) produced G1 Carter Handicap and G2 Pennsylvania Derby winner and sire Morning Line (Tiznow) and listed winner Liam's Pride (Liam's Map).

I'm a Flake, a 2008 foal by Mineshaft, became the latest black-type producer for November Snow earlier this year when Express Train, a 4-year-old colt by classic-winning wire Union Rags, won the G2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita for Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable and trainer John Shirreffs. He added a second G2 at Del Mar in the San Diego Handicap in August and most recently the G2 San Antonio Stakes on Santa Anita's opening day program on Dec. 26.

While Express Train has yet to hit the jackpot with a G1 victory (finishing second to Charlatan in the 2020 Malibu, second to Idol in the Santa Anita Handicap last March and third in the Gold Cup and Awesome Again during the summer and fall), he has defeated a host of G1 winners, most recently G1 Pennsylvania Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie and G1 American Pharoah winner Eight Rings in the San Antonio. Consistent and determined (he's been 1-2-3 in 12 of 15 starts), Express Train has the ability to score at the highest level.

Unplaced in four starts, I'm a Flake was bred in 2011 to Tiznow and entered in the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she was purchased for $290,000 by Dixiana Farms, the historic Thoroughbred nursery purchased in 2004 by Florida businessman William Shively. The resulting foal, Snowbird was unplaced in three starts. Her second foal, Master Magician (also by Tiznow), was unplaced in eight starts.

I'm a Flake's first two foals sold well as yearlings, but Shively opted to keep the next one, a Union Rags filly named Layla. She broke her maiden at first asking, then was unsuccessful in two subsequent starts and is now a member of Dixiana's band of about 50 broodmares.

I'm a Flake had one more foal prior to Express Train, another son of Tiznow who brought $850,000 as a 2-year-old in training at the 2017 OBS March Sale. Named Praetorian, the gelding will soon turn 7 and remains in training, having won six of 36 starts, with 11 second-place finishes, primarily in claiming races.

After a barren year, I'm a Flake produced Express Train, who was purchased for $500,000 by the Mayberry Farm of Jeanne, April and Summer Mayberry on behalf of C R K Stable at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

According to Dixiana farm manager Robert Tillyer, I'm a Flake then had two successive barren years after being bred to Tiznow in 2017 and Gun Runner in 2018. Her 2020 foal, a colt by Accelerate, was purchased by Mayberry Farm on behalf of C R K Stable for $300,000 at Keeneland September.

Tillyer said Dixiana has a Union Rags–I'm a Flake weanling colt on the farm that likely will head to next year's Keeneland September Sale and she is currently in foal to Munnings, with an expected foaling date in late April. “The plan is to go back to Gun Runner,” Tillyer said.

Layla, the full sister to Express Train retained by Shively, has a Liam's Map 2021 colt that Tillyer said “is as nice as a weanling can be.”

This is Tillyer's second go-round at Dixiana, having worked at the farm when it was under different ownership in the late 1990s after arriving from England.

“A lot of good horses have come off that farm,” he said, naming 1997 champion and Group 1 Epsom Derby winner Benny the Dip and 1999 European champion 2-year-old colt Fasliyev, among others.

After spending 18 years working for Kentucky horseman William Betz, Tillyer returned to Dixiana in 2020 and has seen the farm reach new heights, selling its first million-dollar yearling this past year when a Quality Road colt brought $1.15 million.

The farm, located off Russell Cave northeast of Lexington, now encompasses about 840 acres and includes property from the old Domino Stud that once was part of the original Dixiana, whose founding dates back to 1877.

There is a lot of history to Dixiana Farms (you can read about it here), but new chapters continue to be written.

The post Bloodlines Presented by Caracaro: Express Train Helps Write New Chapter For Historic Dixiana Farms appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Eight Rings, who set the pace and gave way begrudgingly in the final sixteenth of a mile, finished third, with Go On fourth and Azul Coast fifth in the field of seven 3-year-olds and up.

Express Train paid $16.40 after covering 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.82.

This was the fifth win in 15 career starts for Express Train and third in a G2 race after victories earlier this year in the San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita and San Diego Handicap at Del Mar. A 4-year-old colt by Union Rags out of I'm a Flake, by Mineshaft, Express Train was bred in Kentucky by Dixiana Farm LLC, Express Train was a $500,000 yearling purchase.

Express Train was entered in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 6 at Del Mar but scratched from the race after suffering a minor injury to his hock while schooling in the paddock earlier in the week.

In the San Antonio, Espinoza put Express Train in a good position down toward the inside while Eight Rings set fractions of :23.87, :47.37 and 1:11.89 for the opening six furlongs.

Doug O'Neill-trained Hot Rod Charlie, a 3-year-old by Oxbow who ran fourth in the Breeders' Cup Classic after winning the G1 Pennsylvania Derby, was pushed to challenge Eight Rings approaching the far turn. Espinoza took that move as a cue to switch Express Train to the outside and had dead aim on the leading duo as the field rounded the stretch turn.

Hot Rod Charlie put his head in front of Eight Rings after passing the furlong pole, covering a mile in 1:37.97, but Express Train and Espinoza, racing to their outside, had all the momentum and got up in the final yards.

“The last two races he did not break well,” said Lee Searing, who with wife Susan operates C R K Stable. Searing was referring to a sixth-place finish in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August and a third-place finish in the G1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita in October. “Victor did a great job. He's a really good horse when he's a stalker, when he gets to the outside.”

The post Express Train Derails Hot Rod Charlie In San Antonio appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Pegram, Watson and Weitman's Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday) took back-to-back runnings of this race in 2016 and 2017, and Azul Coast (Super Saver) will carry the same red and yellow silks. The 4-year-old defeated Kiss Today Goodbye (Cairo Prince) and stablemate Eight Rings (Empire Maker) in the GIII Native Diver S. Nov. 20.

Express Train (Union Rags) probably needs to rediscover his best form to defeat Hot Rod Charlie, but he's a two-time Grade II winner in spots like this one over the past year or so and exits a pair of Grade I tries, most recently finishing third behind ill-fated Medina Spirit (Protonico) in the GI Awesome Again S. Oct. 2.

The post ‘Charlie’ Looms Large in San Antonio appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Most recently fourth, beaten 4 ½ lengths by presumptive Horse of the Year Knicks Go in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6, Hot Rod Charlie has been a gem of consistency, while on occasion very unlucky, for O'Neill. A handy winner of the G1 Pennsylvania Derby two starts back on Sept. 25, he was disqualified from a hard fought nose victory three starts back in the G1 Haskell Invitational.

A massive second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by A-Lister Essential Quality in the G1 Belmont Stakes June 5, he was a troubled third, beaten one length by Medina Spirit in the G1 Kentucky Derby five starts back on May 1.

A winner of the G2 Louisiana Derby in his second start of the year on March 20, Hot Rod Charlie is 7-2-1-2 on the year, with 2021 earnings of $2,087,500. Owned by Boat Racing, LLC, Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck), Roadrunner Racing & William Strauss, Hot Rod Charlie will reportedly use the San Antonio as a prep to the G1 Dubai World Cup in March.

Freshened since running third to Medina Spirit in the G1 Awesome Again Stakes Oct. 2, C R K Stable's Express Train has been in the money in six out of his seven career starts at Santa Anita and rates a big chance off the bench. Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train's last win came three starts back in the G2 San Diego Handicap on July 17. With an overall mark of 14-4-4-3, this 4-year-old colt by Union Rags has earnings of $695,800.

A half-length winner of the G3 Native Diver Handicap on Nov. 20, Bob Baffert's Azul Coast could rate second billing as he seeks his second graded stakes win. Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Azul Coast, who has four wins from 10 starts, will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez.

THE GRADE 2 SAN ANTONIO WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 11 Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

1. Extra Hope—Tyler Baze–121
2. Express Train—Victor Espinoza—125
3. Go On—Mario Gutierrez–119
4. Hot Rod Charlie—Flavien Prat—123
5. Eight Rings—John Velazquez—121
6. Kiss Today Goodbye—Kent Desormeaux—121
7. Azul Coast—Juan Hernandez–123

First post time for an 11-race Opening Day card Sunday is 11 a.m. Admission gates will open at 9 a.m.

The post Hot Rod Charlie Back For More In Sunday’s San Antonio appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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