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Two Unbeaten Sons Of Speightstown Head Entries For Malibu Stakes

A pair of unbeatens, Bob Baffert's Charlatan and Steve Asmussen's Nashville head a powerful group of probable starters in Santa Anita's Grade 1, $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs on opening day, Saturday, Dec. 26. Santa Anita's traditional opening day headliner, the Malibu, the final Grade 1 of the year for 3-year-olds, will be run for the 74th time. (The race was run in divisions in 1972, 1975, 1977 & 1984).

Idle since taking a division of the G1 Arkansas Derby by six lengths on May 2, Charlatan was subsequently disqualified from purse money due to a medication violation, so he thus officially has two wins from three starts. Including the Arkansas Derby, Charlatan, who broke his maiden and took a first condition allowance here this past winter, has won his three starts by a combined 22 lengths.

In a performance that had the racing world abuzz on Breeders' Cup Classic Day at Keeneland Nov. 7, Nashville powered to a 3 ½ length victory in a six furlong ungraded stakes, stopping the clock at 1:07.80 and thus earning a solid 102 Beyer Speed figure—two points less than Whitmore's 104 Beyer in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Sprint over the same surface. Heavily favored in three starts, all sprints, Nashville, like Charlatan, is a son of champion sprinter Speightstown. A first-out maiden winner Sept. 2 at Saratoga, he has won all three of his races in gate to wire fashion by a combined 24 ¾ lengths.

Baffert will also be represented in the Malibu by three-time stakes winner Thousand Words, who has been idle since well beaten in the G1 Preakness Stakes Oct. 3.

Mark Glatt's Grade 1 stakes winning sprinter Collusion Illusion is also listed as probable and although he was well beaten by Whitmore when shuffled back early in the Breeder's Cup Sprint, he ran a much better-than-looked race and should give a good account of himself back on his home ground.

Nominations closed Dec. 10 and among those also listed as probable for the Malibu are the John Shirreffs-trained Express Train, Michael McCarthy's Independence Hall and Doug O'Neill's Strongconstitution.

Opening day entries for the Runhappy Malibu and five other stakes, the G1 La Brea, the G1 American Oaks, the G2 Mathis Brothers Mile, the G2 San Antonio and the Lady of Shamrock Stakes, will be taken at Santa Anita on Monday, Dec. 21.

Although there is still no public admittance due to continuing restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Anita's races can be viewed live at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager on these races via a number of ADW platforms, including 1st.com/Bet.

Special early first post time on opening day is at 11:00 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Fair Grounds To Boost Purses By 10 Percent On Jan. 1; Maiden Specials Will Be $50,000

Inspired by strong simulcast handle during the first three weeks of the 149th racing season, which includes solid bettor response to the newly implemented traditional early and late Pick 5 wagers, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La., has announced a 10% purse increase across the board.

“We're extremely excited to announce a 10 percent increase to our daily purse structure,” Fair Grounds' racing secretary Scott Jones said. “Based on the strong early handle returns and continued support from our owners and horseman, we are in a position to raise purses.”

As a result of the increase, which will go into effect for condition book #3 (which starts January 1, 2021), purses on allowance races will be bumped up $3,000, while all other races will receive a $2,000 hike. Maiden special weight races will now be worth $50,000. The purse increase includes both open races and Louisiana-bred races.

Entries for the Friday, January 1 card will be drawn on Saturday, December 26, 2020.

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Gulfstream Park: $900,000 Guaranteed Jackpot In Wednesday’s Rainbow 6; Maker Scores Four Bagger On Sunday

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $900,000 Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the 10th day of the Championship Meet Sunday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $1,206.26.

The jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

The Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10, including four optional claiming allowances and two maiden races on turf.

Multiple graded-stakes winner Social Paranoia headlines Race 9, the 7 ½-furlong turf feature for 3-year-olds and up. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old son of Street Sense hasn't seen action since winning the Poker (G3) at Belmont July 20. Social Paranoia has won twice in three starts over the Gulfstream turf course, including a maiden-breaking score in 2019 and a triumph in the Appleton (G3) on this year's Florida Derby (G1) undercard. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call.

Mark Casse-trained Olympic Runner, a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Gio Ponti, is also entered in Wednesday's feature. The 4-year-old gelding will make his first start since shipping from Woodbine, where he was twice stakes-placed this year. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount.

There will be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $13,956.76 heading into Wednesday's card.

WHO'S HOT: Trainer Michael Maker sent out four winners on Sunday's program, scoring with Can't Buy Love ($5.20) in Race 4, Chess's Dream ($3.20) in Race 6, Morocco ($7.20) in Race 10 and Phantom Vision ($5.40) in Race 11.

Paco Lopez and Irad Ortiz Jr. each tripled. Lopez scored aboard Foster Hope ($29.60) in Race 3. R Adios Jersey ($3.80) in Race 5 and Lenzi's Lucky Lady ($18.20) in Race 8. Ortiz won aboard Gone to Cabo ($4.60) in Race 2, Chess's Dream ($3.20) in Race 6 and Morocco ($7.20) in Race 10.

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Laurel Park: Comebacking Jonathan Joyce Rides First Winner In Nearly Seven Years

Six weeks into his comeback and nearly seven years since his last victory, journeyman jockey Jonathan Joyce visited the winner's circle aboard Mary Jones and Robin Graham's Grace Isabella Saturday at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

Also trained by Graham, Grace Isabella ($12.60) ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:18.35 over a fast main track in the claiming event for fillies and mares 3 and up. It was the first win for the 35-year-old Joyce since Bouquet Babe Jan. 30, 2014, also at Laurel.

“Just a lot of gratitude pretty much for Maryland racing and the trainers and the stewards and the jocks, everybody, just for accepting me back and helping me along the way to get to where I am today,” Joyce said. “It's been a long journey but this what I do it for, this feeling.

“It's been tough, knocking on the door,” he added. “Robin stuck by me for so long, as long as many others, but I've been working this filly in the morning and it all panned out today.”

Based in the Mid-Atlantic, primarily in Maryland, Joyce compiled 564 wins and $11.6 million in purse earnings between 2004 and 2014. He won the 2009 Maryland Million Distaff, 2009 Day Lilly, 2009 Skipat and 2008 Alma North on Maryland-bred All Giving.

Other stakes wins came with Ah Day in the 2006 Deputed Testamony and 2006 Red Legend, and Pocket Patch in the 2011 Henry S. Clark and 2010 Maryland Million Turf. Ah Day would go on to place in six graded-stakes including a third in the 2007 Carter Handicap (G1) and win in the 2009 Toboggan (G3).

Last having ridden Feb. 6, 2014, when he ran fourth aboard Catular at Laurel, Joyce returned to the irons Oct. 31, finishing ninth on R Awesome Rose at Laurel. Saturday's win was his first from 49 starts that included nine seconds and five thirds.

“Just finding myself again, visiting family, still stuck with horses and continued my passion,” Joyce said of his absence. “I just needed a little break to get my thoughts together and figure it all out again.

“I was riding in the mornings. I was at Fair Hill and I was at a farm in Kentucky, just kind of sticking with my roots as far as horses,” he added. “The fire inside never dulled. It just kind of went low for a little bit but here we are.”

Joyce settled Grace Isabella in third as Starting Tour and Nine Martinis alternated for the lead through a half-mile in 45.59 seconds. Joyce swung Grace Isabella to the outside on the turn and swept to the lead midstretch.

“I knew the filly. I worked her a couple times in the morning. We talked about it and figured we'd see if the speed can go and kind of track it,” Joyce said. “The main thing was to keep her comfortable and let her gather herself and get her air and everything. Turning for home I knew she was going to have a kick the way she went around the first half-mile or so. I said, 'Mama, take me from here.'”

Joyce won the 2006 Maryland State Fair meet at Timonium at age 21 in his second full year of riding. He broke his collarbone in an Oct. 4, 2006 spill at Laurel.

“I've got to be on my horse at 5:30 [a.m. Sunday]. I'm just going to enjoy with some family and friends,” Joyce said.

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