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Locals Idol, Tizamagician Face Off With Florida Invader King Guillermo In Saturday’s San Pasqual

The Richard Baltas-trained Idol, Richard Mandella's Tizamagician and Florida invader King Guillermo head a compact field of five older horses going a mile and one eighth in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita. To be run for the 83rd time, the San Pasqual is an iconic prep to the G1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6.

Lightly raced Idol, who is owned by Calvin Nguyen, was attentive to the pace en route to a close second place finish going a mile and one sixteenth in the G2 San Antonio Stakes here on Dec. 26 and will once again get the services of eastern-based Gabriel Saez on Saturday. An impressive seven furlong maiden winner in his second start at Churchill Downs Sept. 26, Idol, a 4-year-old colt by Curlin out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood, then aired by 5 ¾ lengths in a mile and three-sixteenths allowance at Churchill Nov. 8.

With two wins and as many seconds from his four career starts, Idol appears poised to have a big 4-year-old campaign for Baltas.

With an overall mark of 13-3-5-0, Tizamagician, a 4-year-old colt by Tiznow, comes off an outstanding second condition allowance win on Jan. 2, a race in which he led throughout and took by a half length at 4-1. Although he'll be facing a G2 winner in King Guillermo, Tizamagician has the advantage of a sharp recent win over the track as he once again runs out of his own stall for Mandella.

A close fourth in last year's G3 Robert B. Lewis at Santa Anita, Tizamagician, who is owned by MyRacehorse.com and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, will again be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, who has guided him to a pair of victories in his last four starts.

A disappointing fourth, beaten 12 ¼ lengths after pressing the early pace in the one turn Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct Dec. 5, trainer Juan Avila's King Guillermo had been since running second in a division of the Grade I Arkansas Derby on May 2 and may've been in need of the race. Owned by Victoria's Ranch, nom de course for retired five-time All Star catcher Victor Martinez, King Guillermo, 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, was an upset winner of the Grade II Tampa Bay Derby three starts back on March 7 and was subsequently off at 9-2 in the Arkansas Derby.

In what will be his first start west of the Mississippi River, King Guillermo ships west from his Gulfstream Park base and will be ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo in what will be his seventh career start.

Second to top rated Charlatan going seven furlongs in the opening day Malibu Dec. 26, C R K Stable's Express Train will be ridden back by leading man Juan Hernandez and with a career-top Beyer Speed figure of 99 in-hand, rates a solid shot in what will be his eighth career start. Trained by John Shirreffs, Express Train was well off the early pace in the Malibu, but has proven very effective when on or near the lead going two turns.

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

Race 5 of 8 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

Tizamagician—Drayden Van Dyke—120
Idol—Gabriel Saez—120
King Guillermo—Abel Cedillo—122
Express Train—Juan Hernandez—120
Zestful—Edwin Maldonado—120

First post time for an eight-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet.

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Bargain Buy Competitive Speed Puts Three-Race Win Streak On The Line In Forward Gal

John Minchello's Competitive Speed, a bargain $5,000 juvenile purchase turned stakes winner in less than a year, will put her three-race win streak on the line when she tries graded company for the first time in Saturday's $100,000 Forward Gal (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The 39th running of the seven-furlong Forward Gal for 3-year-old fillies is among five graded-stakes worth $600,000 in purses on a 12-race program highlighted by the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3), Gulfstream's next step for 3-year-olds on the road to the Florida Derby (G1).

First race post time is 11:45 a.m.

A chestnut daughter of Competitive Edge, a Grade 1 winner at 2, and granddaughter of 2003 champion older horse and Horse of the Year Mineshaft, Competitive Speed failed to meet her reserve as a yearling in the fall of 2019 and was sold as a 2-year-old in training last July. She debuted in the slop at Gulfstream Park West in October, finishing sixth in a six-furlong maiden special weight, but hasn't lost since.

“She's always doing better every day, and that's happened from the very first day that she came to the barn. When she came to us and started training and working and get condition, she was doing better,” trainer Javier Gonzalez said. “When we put her in company, she did better. Whatever we ask her to do, she did better. She's passed every test.

“This is going to be a big test, but I think she can make it. She's doing good and she is one of those horses that is never going to make you look bad,” he added. “I think she's going to run a very good race.”

Competitive Speed graduated by 1 ½ lengths in a 6 ½-furlong maiden claimer at Gulfstream West less than two weeks after her unveiling, beating a pair of next-out winners in the process. She made her Gulfstream debut Dec. 6, coming from off the pace to take a starter optional claimer by 4 ½ lengths, then stepped up to stakes company in the 6 ½-furlong Glitter Woman Jan. 2.

Once again, Competitive Speed was able to rate under regular rider Leonel Reyes before taking a short lead at the top of the stretch and going on to win by three lengths and give Gonzalez – a multiple group stakes winner in Puerto Rico, including the 2013 Clasico Ano Nuevo (G1) – his first stakes triumph in the U.S.

“That was very special. I came here two years ago and was working hard to find a good horse. You never know which one is going to be the one,” Gonzalez said. “I was looking and waiting because then people start to look at you with respect. She is doing so good. She will always have a big, big space in my heart.”

Competitive Speed has breezed twice at Gulfstream West since the Glitter Woman, including a half-mile in 48.40 seconds Jan. 16, third-fastest of 18 horses. Reyes will ride back from Post 3 in a field of eight.

“It was a little bit faster than I wanted but she came back good. The next day she ate everything and she was happy,” Gonzalez said. She's coming into the race really well.

“She's very quiet in the stall. If you pass by her you would never know she was there,” he added. “When she won the stake, one of the exercise riders saw her and asked, 'Which horse is this one?' She's a really nice horse.”

The one horse that beat Competitive Edge, Legacy Racing's Coach Jer's Joy, returns for the first time since her Oct. 31 debut. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the Palace filly has breezed seven times at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, for her return. Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount from outside Post 8.

Shadwell Stable homebred Zaajel, a bay daughter of 2007 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Street Sense, also enters the Forward Gal off one race, a 7 ¼-length maiden special weight romp going seven furlongs Dec. 20 at Gulfstream for Championship Meet-leading trainer Todd Pletcher.

“She was very impressive in her debut and she's trained great since then,” Pletcher said. “Ideally, I'd kind of like to run her in an allowance race, but we don't really have an option at the moment. Considering how well she ran at the distance and over the surface here, we'll give it a try. The seven furlongs was no problem in her debut.”

Luis Saez, up for her debut, gets the return call from Post 7.

Rounding out the field are Queen Arella, a maiden special weight winner in debut last May at Gulfstream but off the board in back-to-back stakes in New York; last-out maiden winner Three Tipsy Chix; Wholebodemeister, who also broke her maiden last summer at Gulfstream and is trying stakes company for the third time; Dial to Win, fifth in the Glitter Woman; and Lady Traveler, runner-up in Rags to Riches last fall in Kentucky for trainer Dale Romans.

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Classy Veterans Pete’s Play Call, Stan The Man Get Rematch In Toboggan

Graded stakes action kicks off at Aqueduct Racetrack for 2021 with a field of five assembling for Saturday's 128th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan for 4-year-olds and upward going seven furlongs over the main track.

Trained by Rudy Rodriguez for owner Michael Dubb, the 8-year-old Pete's Play Call was claimed for $62,500 out of a winning effort in an optional-claiming sprint on Nov. 27 at the Big A. He made first start for new connections a winning one when capturing the 6 1/2-furlong Gravesend last out on Jan. 2 at Aqueduct.

Pete's Play Call was hustled out of the gate in the Gravesend by Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. and sat to the outside of pacesetter Happy Farm. After establishing clear command approaching the quarter pole, Pete's Play Call held off a late charge from fellow Toboggan aspirant Stan the Man to win by 2 ½ lengths over the muddy and sealed track.

Pete's Play Call, who has gone 4-1-0 in his last six starts, worked five-eighths in 1:01.58 on January 22 on the Belmont Park dirt training track.

“In his last four or five races, it looks like he's improving a little,” said Rodriguez, who saddled Head Heart Hoof (2013) and Sassicaia (2016) to Toboggan scores. “He's been doing great. We're just trying to keep him happy and keep him fit. He really looks like he's been coming along well and I hope that he stays the way he's been doing. He worked very well the other day. He's full of himself right now.”

The seasoned son of Munnings boasts the most victories in the Toboggan field with a 46-14-9-6 lifetime record and earnings of $648,421.

Bred in Maryland by Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnes, Pete's Play Call is out of the 2019 Maryland Broodmare of the Year Taft Lil Queen, who also produced graded stakes winner Kiss to Remember. He comes from the same family as dual Grade 1-winner Spun Sugar.

Vargas, Jr. will return to the saddle from the inside post.

Long Lake Stable's Stan the Man will attempt to turn the tables on Pete's Play Call in search of a third stakes victory and first graded score for trainer John Terranova, who won the 2010 Toboggan with Wall Street Wonder.

The four-times graded stakes-placed Stan the Man arrives at Saturday's event with consistent form, having finished in the money in his last five starts, all of which were at stakes level.

Prior to finishing a late-closing second in the Gravesend, the 7-year-old Broken Vow chestnut was a close second to Toboggan-rival Share the Ride in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight on Nov. 27 at the Big A.

Stan the Man enjoyed a prosperous campaign in 2020, which included a triumph in the seven-furlong Tale of the Cat at Saratoga and three placings against graded stakes company. At the tail end of 2019, Stan the Man notched his first stakes victory when taking the Queens County at Aqueduct going nine furlongs.

“He's been a good horse and a fun horse for us, very consistent. Especially lately, since the summer,” Terranova said. “We're proud of him. He's happy and healthy and this looks like the right spot for him.”

Jockey Eric Cancel will be aboard from post 4.

Silvino Ramirez's Share the Ride vies for his second graded stakes victory for trainer Antonio Arriaga.

The dark bay or brown son of Candy Ride won the Grade 3 Fall Highweight at the Big A two starts back and arrives at the Toboggan off a close runner-up finish to Wendell Fong in the Fire Plug on Jan. 16 at Laurel Park.

Jockey Manny Franco will be aboard from post 3.

Misty Hollow Farm's 7-year-old Drafted will seek to get back to his winning form for trainer David Duggan. After a 2-year-old season with trainer Eoin Harty, the son of Field Commission raced for the barn of Middle East-based Doug Watson, for whom he won two Group 3 events at Meydan Racecourse in the winter of 2019. In his last effort, he finished third beaten 5 ¾ lengths in the Gravesend.

Jockey Dylan Davis rides from post 2.

Rounding out the field is American Power, who attempts a third consecutive victory after besting stakes winner Mihos and next out-winning stable mate Lil Commissioner in a Dec. 11 optional claiming tilt going seven furlongs.

Trained by Rob Atras and owned by Sanford J. Goldfarb and Irwin Goldfarb, the 6-year-old son of Power Broker won three races in a row during his 2019 campaign for trainer Linda Rice.

Big A winter meet leading rider Kendrick Carmouche has the mount from post 5.

The Toboggan is slated as Race 4 on Saturday's nine-race program, which has a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Gosden To Saddle French Classic Winner Mishriff In Saudi Cup, Hopes For Wide Draw

Trainer John Gosden has his sights set on the $20 million Saudi Cup with last year's Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Mishriff. The 4-year-old was runner-up in The Saudi Derby – run on the same dirt track as the world's most valuable race – at the inaugural meeting last year, before returning to Europe to complete a summer hat-trick of big-race wins.

Gosden, based in Newmarket, said at a Saudi Cup press conference: “Mishriff has always been a grand horse and he worked nicely going into The Saudi Derby last year. It was his first time on the dirt, so you never know but he did have the benefit of a wide draw.

“I think he's very much a 2000m (1 1/4 miles) horse – he's got a great stride, great tactical speed and a powerful finish. This is 1800m (1 1/8 miles) and, if you remember from last year, the American horses break – that's their game.

“They're very fast over the first 400m (half mile) and you really don't want to be getting in behind all of that. If you get a basin full of dirt in your face, that's what stops turf horses switching to the dirt as they're not used to taking all that kickback. That's why a wide draw would be advantageous.

“He's not a horse who requires a massive amount of work so, to that extent, he's the right type to be getting ready so early in the year.”

Gosden, who is also planning to send Global Giant over to run in the $1million Middle Distance Turf Cup and New Treasure in the $1.5million Saudi Derby on Feb. 20, was suitably impressed with the first Saudi Cup meeting last year.

He said: “The horses were looked after properly in every way – the facilities were great. The main track is exceptional – the American jockeys always say it's the best they ride on anywhere – and the turf course completely blew me away, it was stunning. We all had a superb experience.”

British trainer Roger Teal will run last year's July Cup winner Oxted on dirt for the first time in the $1.5million Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

He said: “He looks magnificent – he's really blossomed throughout the winter. His work has been stepping up weekly and we're very happy. He's got early pace – he travels strongly. It was a strongly-run race last year and that will suit him. We're hoping we'll be allowed to take him to Wolverhampton to have one good sprint around a turn as he's never raced around a bend.”

Dark Power, shock winner of last year's $1million 1351 Turf Sprint under Frankie Dettori, is expected to defend his crown for Bahrain trainer Allan Smith.

Smith said: “He finished third in his prep race last week but it was over a straight 1200m and he couldn't get much cover. After that he's pretty much spot on. I shall have a quiet word with Frankie but I'm almost sure the 'Italian Stallion' will be on board again.”

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