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Zero Tolerance Will Head Down The Hill In Sunday’s Las Cienegas

A stakes winner over the course, Zero Tolerance heads a field of eight older fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf in this Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes.

Vladimir Cerin's Hear My Prayer and Bob Baffert's Ginja, a pair of distaffers in good recent form, also rate big chances in what will be their initial tries down Santa Anita's unique hillside layout. Throw in Baffert's classy comebacker Beautiful Gift and John Sadler's newcomer, Gold for Kitten, as well as his veteran stakes winner Constantia, and the Las Cienegas has the look of a wide open affair.

A Kentucky-bred 4-year-old filly by Mizzen Mast, Zero Tolerance stalked the pace and rallied impressively to take the ungraded Unzip Me Stakes over the course three starts back on Oct. 3 and was subsequently a close fourth going one mile on turf in the G3 Autumn Miss Stakes on Oct. 30.

Ridden for the first time by Umberto Rispoli, she sped to a 1 ¼ length win at 3-5 in a second condition allowance on Nov. 20 at Del Mar. Originally trained by Peter Miller, she'll be saddled by Ruben Alvarado on Sunday as she seeks her first graded win and her fourth overall from six starts. Owned by Custom Truck Accessories, Jason Hall, Joe Kelly and Michael Riordan, Zero Tolerance will be reunited with Flavien Prat, who was aboard for the Unzip Me win as well as a maiden score four starts back on Aug. 20.

Owned by Holly and David Wilson, Hear My Prayer has been idle since rallying for a solid third place finish, beaten three quarters of a length in the five furlong turf Senator Ken Maddy Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 5. Originally based at Gulfstream Park, Hear My Prayer made her first start for Cerin two starts back in five furlong turf classified allowance Aug. 26, a race in which she pressed the pace and prevailed by a half length.

A two-time ungraded stakes winner sprinting on turf at Gulfstream, Hear My Prayer enters the Las Cienegas as a fresh commodity with a solid resume and will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Juan Hernandez. A 5-year-old Florida-bred mare by the Yes It's True stallion The Big Beast, Hear My Prayer is 11-5-0-3 overall with earnings of $218,975.

Idle since well beaten as the 2-1 favorite in the G2 Black Eyed Susan May 14 at Pimlico, Baoma Corporation's Beautiful Gift, who was a close second in the G2 Santa Anita Oaks April 3 and a game head winner of the G3 Santa Ysabel three starts back on March 7, should be attentive to the pace coming off the bench in what will be her first try on grass.

Although ridden by John Velazquez in her last three starts, Beautiful Gift will be handled for the first time by Drayden Van Dyke on Sunday. Favored in three out of her five starts, Beautiful Gift has the class to rate a major contender.

Perhaps the biggest question mark in the field due to the fact she'll be trying turf for the first time, Ginja nonetheless is in solid form and with Mike Smith riding her back, well-spotted. In a gutty effort, she was pressed every step of the way when second, beaten a neck by her stablemate Velvet Slippers in a one mile first condition allowance Nov. 19 at Del Mar.

Owned by Jill Baffert, Ginja is a 4-year-old filly by Quality Road, out of the Forestry mare Sequoia Queen. With an overall mark of 9-1-5-1, she'll be looking for her first graded stakes win.

Idle since a close third in an ungraded stakes going a mile and one sixteenth on synthetic at Woodbine Oct. 31, Gold for Kitten, who was claimed five starts back for $50,000 at Churchill Downs May 6, has never been worse than third in six starts—winning four, and she'll get the first time services of a red hot John Velazquez. A 4-year-old filly by Kitten's Joy, she's owned by DARRS Inc.

With her last win coming five starts back in the ungraded Mizdirection Stakes going six furlongs on turf here April 17, Sadler will also be well represented by Constantia, who takes a significant drop in class off a sixth place finish going one mile on grass in the G2 Goldikova Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 6. A 5-year-old mare by Munnings, Constantia was bred in Kentucky by her owner, Keith Abrahams. Although second going 6 ½ furlongs in the G2 Monrovia Stakes four starts back on June 5, Constantia, who has four wins from 16 starts, will be making her first start down the hillside turf course.

THE GRADE 3 LAS CIENEGAS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Tapwater—Joe Bravo—120
Hear My Prayer—Juan Hernandez–120
Constantia—Umberto Rispoli—122
Quiet Secretary—Tyler Baze—120
Beautiful Gift—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Ginja—Mike Smith—120
Zero Tolerance—Flavien Prat—122
Gold for Kitten—John Velazquez–120

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

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Santa Anita: Winter/Spring Stall Applications Now Available

With Santa Anita's traditional Winter/Spring opener fast approaching on Dec. 26, stall applications have been sent out for the track's 78-day meet, which will run through June 19.

“With a number of out-of-state horses still here in Southern California following last week's Breeders' Cup World Championships, we want to be sure these horsemen know they've got some great options to train and race here at Santa Anita this winter and spring,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “The fact that we are now able to once again card sprints down our hillside turf course gives our horsemen a number of opportunities that are not available anywhere else in the country.

“Along with our turf chute, we're now able to accommodate a wide variety of needs, from maiden claiming to upper level allowance and stakes competition. When you factor in the likely prospect of good weather for training on our main track and inner training track, I think many owners and trainers can see we've got a lot to offer especially when compared to training and racing in very cold, wet conditions.”

With a 10 percent increase over last year announced this past October, Santa Anita will be offering the biggest overnight purse structure in its 87-year history.

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Condition Book One will be available online Nov. 29. For additional information, please visit www.santaanita.com or call the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-6352.

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Lieutenant Dan Cruises In Eddie D. As Racing Returns To Santa Anita Hillside Course

Celebrated by racing fans nationwide, racing returned to Santa Anita's Camino Real hillside turf course in Arcadia, Calif., on Friday as California-bred Lieutenant Dan pressed the pace and took control turning for home en route to a half-length victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D. Stakes. Ridden by Geovanni Franco, “Dan” got the “about” distance of 6 ½ furlongs down the hill on firm turf in 1:11.74.

Owned and bred by Nick Alexander, Lieutenant Dan sat a close third early to pacesetter Charmaine's Mia, who was pressed to her immediate outside by Law Abidin Citizen. Hand-ridden over the dirt crossing at the top of the stretch, Lieutenant Dan cruised to the lead and was never seriously challenged through the lane.

Off as the 5-2 favorite in a field of nine 3-year-olds and up, Lieutenant Dan, who notched his third consecutive victory today, paid $7.00, $3.80 and $3.20. The 5-year-old gelding by Alexander's stallion Grazen has now won eight of 16 career starts.

“It was so unexpected,” said Alexander of the horse's growing resume. “I think he was the seventh or eighth foal out of the mare (Excusabull), and the first seven did nothing so, we had very low expectations for this horse and he just continues to exceed them. He just loves to win.

“I love that turf course,” Alexander added. “We have always excelled on it and Grazen babies just seem to love that distance and that downhill. It is so beautiful.”

“He's a pretty fast horse and he's very versatile,” said Franco. “He broke sharp like he always does and put me in a nice spot where if they were going too slow, I could have gone and if they were going too fast, I could have sat back.

“All in all, he was the one taking me through the trip. At the end of the race he kept on going. I heard some noises of people coming but he never slowed down or waited for anybody.

“It was a great feeling to ride the hill again, it is definitely different than any other race or surface,” added Franco. “You have a lot of fun out there, especially when you have a horse like this one.”

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Highly accomplished Snapper Sinclair, who shipped in from Churchill Downs for Steve Asmussen, kept to his task from off the pace and finished second in a solid effort, finishing a neck in front of the Bob Hess, Jr. Chaos Theory. Off as the 7-2 second choice, he paid $4.40 and $3.20.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Chaos Theory was off at 36-1 and paid $10.80 to show while finishing a half length better than a late closing Gregorian Chant.

Fractions on the race were 21.61, 42.95 and 1:05.66.

The Eddie D is named for legendary retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye.

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Santa Anita Re-Opens Hillside Turf Course For Autumn Meet

Santa Anita Park's 16-day Autumn Meet will get off to a fast start on Friday, Oct. 1, as a total of four stakes will be offered on a tremendous nine-race card. The Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes, one of three Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifiers, will headline the day's racing. Named for the 2015 Triple Crown Champion, the American Pharoah is a Breeders' Cup Win & You're In qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar on Nov. 5.

With first post time at 1 p.m., walk-up admission is welcomed, with free admission and General Parking on opening day. In addition to the American Pharoah, the Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up, will be contested at 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course. Named for the legendary retired Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, the Eddie D provides a platform for those horses considering the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 6.

“Our fans, horsemen and Eddie Delahoussaye himself have told us they'd love to see a return to racing down this European-style course which has been unique to Santa Anita for more than six decades,” said Aidan Butler, Chief Operating Officer, Racing Operations for 1/ST Racing. “The Eddie D will be one of four turf sprint stakes to be run on the Camino Real hillside turf course throughout our Autumn Meet.”

Two-year-old fillies will go postward opening day in the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes, a Breeders' Cup Win & You're in qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5 and 2-year-olds will also be competing at five furlongs on turf in the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes, a Win & You're In qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 5.

With the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships set for Nov. 5 & 6 at Del Mar, Santa Anita will be offering a total of 14 stakes over the course of its opening weekend, Oct. 1 through Oct. 3.

With special early first post time at 12:30 p.m., a total of five stakes will be offered on Saturday, Oct. 2; the Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again, a Breeders' Cup Win & You're In qualifier to the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one eighth, the Grade 1, $300,000 Rodeo Drive, a Breeders' Cup Win & You're In qualifier for fillies and mares at a mile and one quarter on turf, the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Win & You're In qualifier for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs, the Grade 2, $200,000 John Henry Turf Championship, named for the legendary two-time Horse of the Year, is for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and one quarter on turf and the Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile (turf), for 3-year-olds and up.

On Sunday, Oct. 3, the legendary multiple Eclipse Award winning mare Zenyatta will be feted, with the Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes, a Win & You're In qualifier for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles who are pointing to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff. Fillies and mares will also be center stage in the Grade 3, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs, a race which honors the memory of longtime Oak Tree Racing Association board member and prominent owner/breeder, Sherwood Chillingworth.

A pair of one mile turf stakes will also be offered on Oct. 3 for 2-year-olds—the Surfer Girl and the Zuma Beach, as well as the $75,000 Unzip Me, for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf.

In addition to the Eddie D and Unzip Me Stakes, a pair of Cal-bred stakes, the $100,000 California Distaff Handicap on Oct. 16 and the $100,000 California Flag Handicap on Oct. 17 will also be contested at 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf. Additionally, selected allowance races will be run down the hillside throughout the course of the 16-day meet.

Santa Anita's spacious Infield area will be open each Saturday and Sunday, through closing day, Oct. 31. For complete details on Santa Anita's opening weekend, including pricing and dining and seating reservations, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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