Fun to Dream shadowed the pacesetters three wide down the backstretch. She stuck her head in front at the top of the lane and held Awake at Midnyte–the only horse so far to have finished in front of her–at bay down to the wire to score by 3/4 lengths.

“This horse is getting really, really good,” said winning jockey Juan Hernandez. “She's improving a lot, and she's shown up in her last couple of starts. Today, she was traveling very smoothly on the back side, and she broke sharp. Then after that, I felt like I had a ton of control. Turning for home I asked her to switch leads and pick it up, and she did the rest.”

Winning trainer–and co-breeder–Bob Baffert saddled four of the seven fillies in the La Brea and was earning his record ninth win in the race, as well as his fourth victory on Santa Anita's opening-day card Monday.

“All the fillies, they were doing so well, and I was hoping that one of them would get there and she just got the perfect trip, outside,” Baffert said. “Juan just sat there, and you could tell he was loving it, turning for home. I'm sitting next to my wife Jill, and she can't believe what she's seeing.”

The Cal-bred Fun to Dream, who was bred by Bob Baffert and Pageler, was a debut winner in May, and captured the Fleet Treat S. in her second outing in July. She suffered her first loss when second, but disqualified to ninth, behind Awake at Midnyte in a Sept. 4 optional claimer at Del Mar. She stretched out to 1 1/16 miles and returned to the winner's circle with a 4 3/4-length victory in an Oct. 1 optional claimer and was coming off a narrow victory against state-bred foes in the seven-furlong Betty Grable S. at Del Mar Nov. 13.

“You breed these horses, hoping for this moment,” Baffert said. “Arrogate, I had to breed a mare to him and now, she is a Grade I winner. It looks like she's just getting better and better. She doesn't know she's a Cal-bred.”

Pedigree Notes:

Bob Baffert claimed Lutess on behalf of Live Your Dream Racing for $8,000 out of her final career start in 2012. She is also the dam of multiple stakes winner Heck Yeah (Acclamation). She produced colts by Smiling Tiger in 2021 and 2022 and was bred back to that sire this year.

Fun to Dream is the fourth graded winner for the late Arrogate, who was represented by 2022 Grade I winners Cave Rock, And Tell Me Nolies, and Secret Oath.

Monday, Santa Anita
LA BREA S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:21.99, ft.
1–FUN TO DREAM, 120, f, 3, by Arrogate
               1st Dam: Lutess, by Maria's Mon
               2nd Dam: Alchema, by Menifee
               3rd Dam: Madeira M'dear, by Black Tie Affair (Ire)
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O-Natalie J.
Baffert & Connie Pageler; B-Connie Pageler & Bob Baffert
(CA); T-Bob Baffert; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 6-5-0-0, $426,590. *1/2 to Heck Yeah
(Acclamation), MSW, $397,949. Werk Nick Rating: B+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Awake At Midnyte, 120, f, 3, by Nyquist
               1st Dam: Midnight Union, by Union Rags
               2nd Dam: Midnight Visit, by Henny Hughes
               3rd Dam: Open Window, by Trempolino
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($85,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV;
$190,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $320,000 2yo '21 FTFMAR;
$485,000 RNA 3yo '22 FTKNOV). O-Reddam Racing LLC;
B-Forty Oaks (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $60,000.
3–Kirstenbosch, 120, f, 3, by Midnight Lute
               1st Dam: Llandudno (GSP, $150,160), by Belong to Me
               2nd Dam: And Guess What, by Kris S.
               3rd Dam: T. V. Residual, by Pirate's Bounty
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Keith
Abrahams (KY); T-John W. Sadler. $36,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3 1/4, HF. Odds: 2.70, 7.00, 31.20.
Also Ran: Midnight Memories, Ganadora, Ain't Easy, Under the Stars. Scratched: Hot Peppers.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Dubbed this season for the first time as the Classic Meet, racing at Santa Anita will be conducted on a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule through Apr. 9, the exceptions being Monday, Jan. 2 for the New Year's Day holiday, Monday, Jan. 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Monday, Feb. 20 for Presidents' Day. After a brief respite in the spring, live racing will return for a 25-day meet Apr. 22, concluding June 18.

The first race on opening day is set for 11:00 a.m. PST. Then post time will be at noon daily through Jan. 8, at 12:30 p.m. PST through Mar. 12 and 1:00 p.m. PST for the remainder of the Classic Meet with the exception of big-race days.

A total of 93 stakes worth $17.5 million, including 10 Grade Is, are on tap during the 3 ½-month meeting. Led by the $750,000 million GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 8, the 2022-2023 stakes schedule is rich with GI Kentucky Derby prep races and coveted Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points. These important Triple Crown prep races are the GIII Sham S. on Jan. 8, which is worth 10 points to the winner; the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. on Feb. 5, also worth 10; and GII San Felipe S. on Mar. 4 which guarantees 50 Road to the Kentucky Derby points to the winner. Overall, 11 winners of the Santa Anita Derby–and 18 runners in California's final prep for the Run for the Roses–have gone on to stand in the winner's circle at Churchill Downs reserved for one horse a year in Louisville on the first Saturday in May, the most recent being 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy).

This year, the historic GI Santa Anita H. will be worth $500,000 and the 1 1/4-mile event has been scheduled for Mar. 4. It remains one of the handful of original stakes events contested each year since Santa Anita opened in 1935.

Zedan Racing's Grade I winner and TDN Rising Star Taiba (Gun Runner) will face eight others in the Malibu in his first start since a third-place finish in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Should the chestnut colt win, he would become the only 3-year-old male to win three Grade Is in 2022 and give trainer Bob Baffert a fifth Malibu winner, one shy of fellow Hall of Famer Richard Mandella. The $1.7 million FTFMAR 2-year-old purchase also won the Santa Anita Derby in his second start back in April.

Flightline (Tapit) won his first stakes race in last year's Malibu en-route to a likely 2022 Horse of the Year and champion older male Eclipse Awards.

Mandella will send out multiple Grade II winner Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) for the seven-furlong test, while former California-based trainer Wesley Ward will try to take advantage of the lucrative ship-and-win money with recent Keeneland allowance winner Nakatomi (Firing Line).

The Malibu has been carded as the 10th race on the card with a 3:30 p.m. PST post time.

Baffert will tighten the girth on four of eight for the La Brea in seeking a record ninth winner, including GII Zenyatta S. winner Midnight Memories (Mastery), GII Summertime Oaks heroine Under The Stars (Pioneerof the Nile) and Fun To Dream (Arrogate), who won the Betty Grable S. at Del Mar last month. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez shipped GIII Victory Ride S. winner Hot Peppers (Khozan) and her jockey, Tyler Gaffalione, to the Left Coast in what will be her first start in 2 1/2 months. Post time for the La Brea, which is the day's 8th race, is 2:30 p.m. PST.

Anchoring the day's card with a 4:11 p.m. PST post time is the American Oaks, which drew a field of 11 runners from coast to coast. Joining the local contingent set to line up will be two trained by East Coast-based Graham Motion, and one each from Brendan Walsh, Chad Brown and Shug McGaughey. Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) debuts for Motion after her previous eight-race career in the hands of Christophe Clement. She most recently was a $3.45 million RNA at KEENOV and returns in the colors of celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

Pizza Bianca will join her new stablemate, GIII Valley View S. winner Sparkle Blue (Hard Spun), in the gate, while Walsh will for the first time send out G1 Bet365 Fillies Mile S. winner Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) returning to action off a sixth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. McGaughey shipped G2 Sands Point S. winner Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to California with the Brown-trained Winter Memories S. winner and TDN Rising Star Salimah (Ire) (El Kabeir) for the 10-furlong turf test.

Other stakes on the Monday card include the $200,000 GIII Santa Anita Mathis Mile, which drew a field of seven turf milers including I'm A Gambler (Ire) (No Nay Never), who sold for a sales-topping $1,076,000 at TATIHA in October to Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal; the $200,000 GII San Gabriel S., a 1 1/8-mile turf test and traditional early prep for the historic GIII San Juan Capistrano S. at the end of the season; and the $200,000 GII San Antonio S., in years past a traditional prep for the Big 'Cap but more recently used as a stepping stone to both the $6 million G1 Dubai World Cup and $20 million G1 Saudi Cup. Last year's Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) will have European champion jockey Frankie Dettori back aboard in the 1 1/16-mile test for the first time since the pair teamed up for the win at Meydan nine months ago. Dettori, in his first and likely last winter in California before his retirement from the saddle at the end of 2023, is scheduled to ride five on the Monday card.

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With Livingmybestlife carving out the early pace from her outside post position, eventual runner-up Brilliant Cut engaged her at the top of the lane but neither were any match for the winner in the final furlong.

Third at the rail, about 1 ½ lengths off the lead at the quarter pole, Kalypso swung three-deep turning for home and seemed to re-break in deep stretch.

With Baffert's heavily favored Private Mission seemingly never getting untracked while finishing sixth at 3-5, Kalypso, idle since well beaten in a Grade II going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs April 30, was off at 8-1 in a field of seven sophomore fillies and paid $19.60, $9.00 and $5.00.

Owned by Rockingham Ranch, David Bernsen, LLC, Gainesway Stable and Chad Littlefield, Kalypso – a Kentucky-bred filly by Brody's Cause out of the Malibu Moon mare Malibu Cove – notched her second Santa Anita graded stakes win of the year and her third stakes victory from an overall mark of 9-3-3-2.  With the winner's share of $180,000, she increased her earnings to $480,600.

Off at 20-1 with Jose Ortiz, the Doug O'Neill-trained Brilliant Cut paid $17.80 and $8.00.

Checking in third was the early pacesetter, Livingmybestlife, who finished a half length better than Eddie's New Dream.  Off at 5-1 with Juan Hernandez, Livingmybestlife paid $4.80 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.11, 44.92 and 1:10.92.

“Bob and I talked about it. We thought there was a lot of speed in the race and we knew she had speed but I didn't want to be in a duel and not have anything to finish with,” said Velazquez. “I told Bob that if she has more speed, then I'm just going to let her go let her be in the lead. I wanted to give her a chance the first part of the race and everything was really easy until I got to the three-eighths pole. I kind of got on her a little bit and she bit into the bridle, so I said, 'alright we're going good'. At the quarter pole I pulled her to the clear and from then on it was pretty easy.”

“We turned her out after that Churchill Downs race (G2 Eight Belles in April, when she ran 12^th),” said Baffert. “We brought her back and she was fresh.  That is what happens when you have two good fillies in the same race.  The other didn't run good (Private Mission). She was not running at all. That's not her. Johnny V. got her (Kalypso) to relax. She has a tendency to go to fast. She was really relaxed today and she was one happy filly.”

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The La Brea was the fourth win on the holiday card for jockey John Velazquez, who is wintering in California for the first time this year.

“Bob [Baffert] and I talked about it. We thought there was a lot of speed in the race and we knew she had speed, but I didn't want to be in a duel and not have anything to finish with,” Velazquez said. “I told Bob that if she has more speed, then I'm just going to let her go, let her be in the lead. I wanted to give her a chance the first part of the race and everything was really easy until I got to the three-eighths pole. I kind of got on her a little bit and she bit into the bridle, so I said, 'Alright, we're going good.' At the quarter pole, I pulled her to the clear and from then on, it was pretty easy.”

Kalypso won the GII Santa Ynez S. over the same track and distance of the La Brea in January. She was second in the GIII Las Virgenes S. and third in the GIII Santa Ysabel before going to the sidelines after bleeding and being eased in the Apr. 30 GII Eight Belles S.

“We turned her out after that Churchill Downs race,” Baffert said. “We brought her back and she was fresh. Johnny V. got her  to relax. She has a tendency to go too fast. She was really relaxed today and she was one happy filly. Grade I's are hard to come by.”

The Baffert-trained Private Mission (Into Mischief) never seemed to get untracked while finishing sixth as the 3-5 favorite.

“[Private Mission] didn't run good,” Baffert said. “She was not running at all. That's not her.”

Pedigree Notes:

Kalypso is one of two graded winners to date for Brody's Cause. The Spendthrift stallion has also been represented by last year's GIII Iroquois S. winner Sittin on Go, as well as graded placed Smiley Sobotka and Girther.

Malibu Cove, a full-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Prospective, has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Hit It a Bomb. She produced a colt by Mor Spirit in 2020 (who sold for $200,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton July sale) and a colt by Jimmy Creed in 2021. She was bred back to Authentic this year.

Sunday, Santa Anita
LA BREA S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:24.78, ft.
1–KALYPSO, 122, f, 3, by Brody's Cause
1st Dam: Malibu Cove, by Malibu Moon
2nd Dam: Spirited Away, by Awesome Again
3rd Dam: Cape North, by Capote
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($240,000 Ylg '19 FTKJUL). O-David A Bernsen, LLC, Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck), Rockingham Ranch & Chad Littlefield; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R Velazquez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-3-2, $480,600. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Brilliant Cut, 120, f, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Polish a Diamond, by The Factor
2nd Dam: Tap Your Feet, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Exotic Moves, by Miswaki
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($160,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Boom Racing, ERJ Racing, LLC, Dave Kenney & William J Strauss; B-McCauley Farm & Speightstown Syndicate (KY); T-Doug F O'Neill. $60,000.
3–Livingmybestlife, 120, f, 3, by The Big Beast
1st Dam: Wall Street Lady, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Epistle, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Chosen Lady, by Secretariat
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Hronis Racing LLC; B-Alex & JoAnn Lieblong (FL); T-John W Sadler. $36,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1HF, HF. Odds: 8.80, 20.80, 5.30.
Also Ran: Eddie's New Dream, Canoodling, Private Mission, Missy P. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Although she showed good early speed, Private Mission tired badly to be distanced by 37 ¼ lengths at odds of 10-1 in her most recent start, the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at a mile and one eighth on Nov. 6. A two-time winner sprinting, Private Mission, who is trained by Bob Baffert, was on a three-game roll heading into the Breeders' Cup, having won the G2 Zenyatta Stakes here on Oct. 3 and the G3 Torrey Pines at Del Mar Aug. 21.

Buy red-hot sire Into Mischief, Private Mission is owned by Baoma Corporation and will be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Flavien Prat. A first-out winner sprinting at two, Private Mission has four wins from six starts and has earnings of $256,800.

John Sadler's Livingmybestlife is a front-running sort who comes off a pair of ungraded stakes wins, her most recent the one mile Seashell Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 3. Owned by Hronis Racing, Livingmybestlife registered an 88 Beyer Speed Figure in taking the six furlong Lucky Spell Stakes at Los Alamitos two starts back on Sept. 24 and earned an 85 Beyer in winning the Seashell.

A Florida-bred by the Yes It's True stallion The Big Beast, Livingmybestlife was claimed by Sadler out of her first start, a second place finish for maiden $50,000 at Oaklawn Park on April 8. With three sprint wins to her credit, Livingmybestlife has four wins and a two seconds from seven overall starts as she tackles graded company for the first time with regular rider Juan Hernandez up.

In addition to Private Mission, Baffert will also send out Kalypso, a winner of the G2 Santa Ynez Stakes here in her first start of the year four starts back on Jan. 3. Idle since well beaten in the G2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs April 30, this daughter of Brody's Cause will no doubt show good speed off the bench. Owned by David Bernsen, LLC and Gainesway Farm, Kalypso will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez.

THE GRADE 1 LA BREA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

1. Canoodling—Roimes Chirinos—120
2. Eddie's New Dream—Mario Gutierrez—120
3. Kalypso—John Velazquez—122
4. Private Mission—Flavien Prat—122
5. Missy P.—Mike Smith—120
6. Brilliant Cut—Jose Ortiz–120
7. Livingmybestlife—Juan Hernandez—120

First post time for an 11-race card on Opening Day, Sunday is at 11 a.m.

The post Private Mission Shortens Up, Will Attempt To Rebound In La Brea appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The prestigious seven-furlong race for fillies and mares four and older will be decided at seven furlongs in this, its 64th running.

“Her victory in the La Brea wasn't much of a surprise in the sense that her form was good,” trainer Eoin Harty said, alluding to her 4-1-1 record from eight starts, with earnings of $321,278. Her lone disappointing effort came in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She finished 12th when rank, steadying and wide in the race at Santa Anita on Nov. 1, 2019.

Other than that, the 4-year-old chestnut filly has never been worse than fourth and has been working forwardly for the Santa Monica.

“She's doing well,” Harty said. 'She's trained well since the La Brea and we're looking forward to the race.”

Fair Maiden began her career at Arlington Park, had two races at Woodbine after that before starts at Santa Anita, Churchill Downs, Keeneland and at Santa Anita for the aforementioned La Brea.

“She's been with me since Day One,” Harty said. “She came out of her Breeders' Cup race with a problem, which explains her layoff (of some 10 months before winning a sprint at Churchill Downs last Sept. 19).

“Seven-eighths should be perfect for her.”

Harty, a 58-year-old native of Dublin, Ireland, enjoyed perhaps his greatest victory in 2009 when Well Armed captured the $6-million Dubai World Cup by 14 lengths under recently retired Aaron Gryder.

Harty was a top assistant to the late John Russell and Bob Baffert before becoming private trainer for Godolphin Racing in 2000.

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Breaking from post position nine in a field of 10 sophomore fillies, Fair Maiden was mid-pack, about three lengths off the lead approaching the top of the lane while following the Bob Baffert-trained Golden Principal.  From there, Fair Maiden, who was six-deep off the turn, easily reeled in Golden Principal for an impressive victory, which provided Gonzalez with his first-ever Grade 1 triumph.

“Eoin (Harty) said she was doing really really well, to just put her in the race,” Gonzalez said. “There were quite a few speeds. 'Just put her in the race get her clear and get her to the outside.' We hit the stretch and as soon as we hit the stretch she went on the outside and was just full of run.

On recording his first Grade 1 victory, Gonzalez said, “I was just so happy and excited, to just ride these kinds of horses, it feels great. I'm very thankful to Eoin and all the trainers for all the opportunities.”

Most recently fourth in an ungraded six furlong stakes at Keeneland Nov. 7, Fair Maiden was off at 20-1 and paid $43.20, $18.60 and $10.00.

Owned and bred by Godolphin, LLC in Kentucky, Fair Maiden is by Street Boss out of the Smart Strike mare Shieldmaiden.  A minor stakes winner on turf in her third career start at Woodbine in August 2019, Fair Maiden collected her first graded stakes win on Saturday and improved her overall mark to 8-4-1-1.  With the winner's share of $180,000, she increased her earnings to $321,278.

One of four Baffert trainees in the field, Golden Principal was off at 12-1 and paid $13.60 and $7.40 while finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of her stablemate Merneith.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Merneith was the second choice in the betting at 7-2 and paid $4.00 to show while finishing three quarters of length in front of post time favorite Finite, who is trained by Steve Asmussen.

Fractions on the race were 21.88, 44.59 and 1:09.92.

“It's just the way the things pan out when you get to that number two level. It's hard to find a race against really competitive company,” Harty said, when asked why he switched  from synthetic surfaces and turf to dirt this year. “I didn't want to keep taking her up to Woodbine so I found a spot in Churchill (winning a six-furlong allowance race) and that was a big question mark as to whether she would handle it there and she did. She was super professional that day and gave me a lot of confidence in bringing her out here for this.

“I've been watching Ricky ride since he came down here, and I think he's the next superstar. He's brave and he puts his horse in a spot to win. I grab him in every time I can because I think he's a world-class rider, and today was his first Grade 1 win.”

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The La Brea field was caught in a nice line and Fair Maiden raced prominently early before drifting back to the latter half of the field as Biddy Duke (Bayern) poked through to take up the running down the backstretch. Ridden quietly by Northern California import Ricky Gonzalez, while racing three or four off the rail in the slipstream of the Chad Brown-trained Motivated Selller (Into Mischief) around the turn, Fair Maiden edged into the four path to follow the move of Golden Principal into the stretch. Pulled out into the clear to lay down her challenge shortly thereafter, Fair Maiden hit high gear at the furlong grounds and raced away to a convincing success. Favored Finite (Munnings) settled well back in the field and made mild late progress into fourth. It was a first Grade I winner for jockey Ricky Gonzalez, who shifted his tack from up north for the winter.

“Eoin [Harty] said she was doing really, really well, to just put her in the race,” he explained. “There were quite a few speeds. ‘Just put her in the race, get her clear and get her to the outside.’ We hit the stretch and as soon as we hit the stretch, she went on the outside and was just full of run.”

It was the first Grade I for Harty since Victor’s Cry, a son of the aforementioned Street Cry, took out the 2010 Shoemaker Mile.

An Arlington maiden romper at second asking last season, Fair Maiden won the grassy Catch a Glimpse S. at Woodbine and was a narrowly beaten third in the GI Natalma S. before finishing well-beaten behind Sharing (Speightstown) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. The chestnut resumed to post a 2 1/4-length allowance when trying dirt for the first time in her career at Churchill Sept. 19 and was a troubled fourth to Merneith and Motivated Seller in the Qatar Fort Springs S. on Breeders’ Cup Saturday at Keeneland Nov. 7.

Pedigree Notes:

Fair Maiden is the seventh Group 1/Grade I winner for her sire and is one of two winners from three to race from her dam, an $875,000 graduate of the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. Fair Maiden’s third dam won the 2000 GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Mother Goose S. before going on to produce MGISP Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song). Shieldmaiden, the 10th daughter of the late Smart Strike to produce a top-level winner, was sold for $30,000 in foal to Animal Kingdom at Keeneland November in 2017 and produced colts by Passion For Action in each of the last two seasons before being covered by the same son of Speightstown last year.

Saturday, Santa Anita
LA BREA S.-GI, $302,500, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.69, ft.
1–FAIR MAIDEN, 120, f, 3, by Street Boss
1st Dam: Shieldmaiden, by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Code Book, by Giant’s Causeway
3rd Dam: Secret Status, by A.P. Indy
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin
(KY); T-Eoin G. Harty; J-Ricardo Gonzalez. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 8-4-1-1, $321,278. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Golden Principal, 120, f, 3, by Constitution
1st Dam: Gold D’ Medaglia, by Medaglia d’Oro
2nd Dam: Lemon Twist, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Danzig Island, by Danzig
($35,000 RNA Ylg ’18 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo ’19 OBSAPR).
O-Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman; B-CESA
Farm (FL); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Merneith, 120, f, 3, by American Pharoah
1st Dam: Flattermewithroses (SW), by Flatter
2nd Dam: Rosella, by Grindstone
3rd Dam: Fluttery Danseur, by Wavering Monarch
($350,000 Wlg ’17 FTKNOV; $600,000 2yo ’19 OBSMAR).
O-HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud; B-China Horse Club
(KY); T-Bob Baffert. $36,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1HF, 3/4. Odds: 20.60, 12.80, 3.60.
Also Ran: Finite, Secret Keeper, Provocation, Himiko, Biddy Duke, Motivated Seller, Princess Mo. Scratched: Stellar Sound.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Santa Anita has an early 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific first post on Saturday.

The highlight will be the Malibu, a race won by such outstanding Thoroughbreds as Round Table, Buckpasser, Damascus, Spectacular Bid, Ferdinand, Shared Belief, Runhappy  and City of Light. Omaha Beach won the 2019 renewal.

Six were entered in this year's Malibu, but most eyes will be on the big two: unbeaten morning line favorite Nashville, who made his stakes debut for trainer Steve Asmussen on the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup undercard at Keeneland, winning the Perryville Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths and setting a track record of 1:07.89 for six furlongs; and Charlatan, first in all three of his starts by a  combined 22 lengths for trainer Bob Baffert but disqualified from a win in the G1 Arkansas Derby because of a failed post-race drug test for lidocaine.

Unlike last year, when inclement weather pushed opening day back by two days, the forecast is for sunny skies and a high of 69 degrees in Arcadia, Calif.

Laurel Park in Maryland will be a bit colder for its big Christmastide Day program featuring eight stakes races, highlighted by the G3 Allaire duPont Stakes at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares, three and up. The forecast calls for clear skies and a high of a brisk 34 degrees on Saturday.

Christmastide Day kicks off at 12:25 p.m. Eastern with the $100,000 Heft Stakes for 2-year-olds going seven furlongs. That race is followed by seven successive stakes, each carrying a $100,000 purse, the $150,000 duPont being the lone exception.

Gulfstream Park has no graded stakes this weekend, but Saturday's card features three turf stakes: the two-mile H. Allen Jerken Stakes and the Tropical Park Derby and Oaks for 3-year-olds and 3-year-old fillies, respectively, at 1 1/16 miles (11, 12, and 13 runners were entered in the respective races). Cool weather prevails at Gulfstream with a high of 64 but the track will be fast and turf course firm.

Here's a brief look at some of the graded stakes (all times Eastern)

Saturday, Dec. 26

3:36 p.m. – $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile at Santa Anita

Smooth Like Strait was nailed on the money by Chad Brown-trained Domestic Spending in the G1 Hollywood Derby last out, but the Midnight Lute colt is going in top form for trainer Michael McCarthy. Mike Maker sends Field Pass west from Kentucky again after the colt by Lemon Drop Kid finished third behind Smooth Like Strait in the G2 Twilight Derby  in October.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA122620USA4-EQB.html

3:53 p.m. $150,000 Allaire duPont Stakes at Laurel Park

Eres Tu just won the Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes at Laurel for trainer Arnaud Delacour and the daughter of Malibu Moon is favored to earn her first graded stakes victory. Ice Princess comes off a runner-up effort in the G3 Comely at Aqueduct for trainer Danny Gargan and the New York-bred by Palace Malice figures to be running late. Stakes veteran Another Broad is 3-for-7 at Laurel and returns to Maryland after a third-place finish at Churchill Downs for trainer Steve Asmussen in the G2 Falls City.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/LRL122620USA8-EQB.html

5:09 p.m. – $200,000 San Antonio at Santa Anita

Mucho Gusto stepped up to win the G1 Pegasus World Cup in January for trainer Bob Baffert, then finished fourth in the inaugural Saudi Cup. He's making his first start since that effort and will have to contend with the versatile Sharp Samurai, a multiple graded stakes winner on turf for trainer Mark Glatt who ran second on dirt behind Maximum Security in the G1 Pacific Classic and third behind Knicks Go in the G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland. Contention runs deep in this eight-horse field of older runners.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA122620USA7-EQB.html

5:43 p.m. – $300,000 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita

Chad Brown sends Motivated Seller west to try to reverse a narrow loss to Bob Baffert-trained Merneith in the Fort Springs Stakes on the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup undercard at Keeneland, but the Into Mischief filly will also have tepid morning line favorite Finite, from Steve Asmussen's barn, to contend with. The latter has won 6-of-11 with three thirds and comes off a sharp score in the G3 Chillukki at Churchil Downs Nov. 21.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA122620USA8-EQB.html

6:17 p.m. – $300,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita

Four fillies shipped from the East Coast for this G1 contest, including two from the barn of multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown – English-bred Capital Structure, making her stakes debut under Joel Rosario, and Duopoly, who gets Flavien Prat in the saddle after winning the Winter Memories at Aqueduct Nov. 15. Graham Motion-trained Sharing, coming off a fourth-place finish to her elders in the G1 Matriarch at Del Mar, won over this course as a 2-year-old when taking the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf and is favored in the morning line. Second choice Luck Money is the “now” horse for trainer Arnaud Delacour, coming off back-to-back wins at Keeneland and Belmont. These four appear to have the local runners over a barrel.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA122620USA9-EQB.html

6:51 p.m. – $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita

Nashville and Charlatan, two 3-year-old sons of Speightstown, both have shown to be dyed-in-the-wool front-runners in their combined six starts, though Charlatan's last two races were around two turns. Like most Baffert runners coming off layoffs or making their debuts, Charlatan has been through a demanding training schedule and doesn't figure to be “short” in his return. Nashville debuted at 6 1/2 furlongs in September at Saratoga, then blitzed rivals at six furlongs in his next two starts. If Charlatan makes him work early, that additional furlong might be a challenge and could set things up for someone like Collusion Illusion, a late-running sprinter who had a terrible trip in the G1 Breeders' Cup Sprint, or Independence Hall, coming off a sharp allowance score for Michael McCarthy after more than six months on the shelf.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA122620USA10-EQB.html

Sunday, Dec. 27

6:51 p.m. – $100,000 Robert J. Frankel at Santa Anita

Chad Brown sent Irish-bred Miss Teheran to Santa Anita from Florida in search of his first Robert J. Frankel win, named for his late mentor. Winless in two U.S. starts, Miss Teheran will have Joel Rosario in the irons as she takes on, among others, the former Brown runner Altea, now trained by Michael McCarthy. They'll both have the California-bred Mucho Unusual to beat, however. The Mucho Macho Man filly won the G1 Rodeo Drive over the same course Sept. 26, then was no match for Audarya in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland.

The post Weekend Lineup Presented by Christmastide Day At Laurel Park: Showdown In The Malibu appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Grand Farm Family’s Himiko (American Pharoah), a $1-million Fasig-Tipton November weanling, jumps up to stakes company and stretches out to a mile following a pair of impressive victories. The Bob Baffert trainee suffered through three troubled trips to begin her career before breaking her maiden going six furlongs at Santa Anita Oct. 18. She romped home by 6 1/2 lengths in a 6 1/2-furlong optional claimer at Del Mar last time out Nov. 8.

Baffert also saddles Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud’s Merneith (American Pharoah). Third behind Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GII Santa Anita Oaks in June, the bay filly is coming off a gritty win in the Nov. 7 Qatar Fort Springs S. at Keeneland.

Baffert’s La Brea contingent also includes Speedway Stable’s Provocation (Into Mischief) and Pegram, Watson and Weitman’s Golden Principal (Constitution).

Trainer Chad Brown, who swept into Southern California to dominate holiday racing at Del Mar around Thanksgiving, sends out the lightly raced Motivated Seller (Into Mischief) in the La Brea. The Klaravich Stables runner opened her career with a front-running six-length victory at Gulfstream last January. Off nine months after that effort, she returned to add a Belmont Park allowance Oct. 11 and she was closing late when second behind Merneith in the Fort Springs.

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