santa anita park | Horse Racing Free Tips

Hit The Road Gets An Extra Eighth In Sunday’s San Gabriel Stakes

Trainer Dan Blacker's Grade 1-winning Hit the Road figures prominently in Sunday's G2, $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes as a field of seven 3-year-olds and up go a mile and one eighth on turf. The San Gabriel, one of six graded stakes on an 11-race Opening Day card, will be run for the 74th time. Special early first post time on Sunday is at 11 a.m., with admission gates opening at 9 a.m.

A winner of Santa Anita's G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile four starts back on March 6, Hit the Road, a 4-year-old colt by More Than Ready, has been winless since, but he comes off a pair of close third place finishes in graded stakes competition, most recently the G2 City of Hope Mile (turf) here on Oct. 2, in which he was beaten a half length.

Owned by D K Racing, LLC and Radley Equine, Inc., Taste of Victory Stables, Rick Gold, Tony Maslowski and Dave Odmark, Hit the Road, a four-time stakes winner, has run in 11 consecutive one mile turf races and will be trying a mile and one eighth for the first time.

Ridden by midwestern-based Florent Geroux in his last four starts, Hit the Road will be reunited with Umberto Rispoli, who is a perfect three for three with him. With an overall mark of 12-6-0-2, Hit the Road has earnings of $563,751.

Trainer Michael McCarthy's Friar's Road will also be trying a mile and one eighth on turf for the first time, but he'll be shortening up from a solid third place finish going a mile and one half in the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar Nov. 26. Third, beaten a head two starts back going a mile and one quarter in Santa Anita's G2 John Henry Turf Championship Oct. 2, this 4-year-old colt by Quality Road will be seeking his first stakes victory on Sunday.

Originally based at Golden Gate Fields with trainer Quinn Howey, California-bred Indian Peak closed much ground to finish third, beaten three quarters of a length going a mile and one sixteenth on grass in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 27 and should appreciate the added distance of the San Gabriel.

A winner versus statebreds going a mile and one eighth over the course in the Snow Chief Stakes 12 starts back on June 20, 2020, this 4-year-old Comic Strip gelding has proven to be versatile and appears to be at the top of his game. Trained by Peter Miller in his last four starts, he'll be saddled by Ruben Alvarado on Sunday and be ridden back by Juan Hernandez.

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

Race 5 of 11 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

Indian Peak—Juan Hernandez—121
Friar's Road—Jose Ortiz—121
Bob and Jackie—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—121
Hit the Road—Umberto Rispoli—123
Majestic Eagle—John Velazquez—121
Red Storm Risen—Flavien Prat—121
Ready Soul—Kent Desormeaux–121

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

The post Hit The Road Gets An Extra Eighth In Sunday’s San Gabriel Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Beyond Brilliant, Du Jour Square Off In Santa Anita Mathis Mile

Trainer John Shirreffs' Beyond Brilliant and Bob Baffert's Du Jour head a field of nine sophomores going a mile on turf in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Mathis Mile, one of six graded stakes on an 11-race Opening Day card at The Great Race Place.

In what was the best race of his career, Beyond Brilliant controlled the pace throughout en route to taking the G1 Hollywood Derby at a mile and one eighth on turf Nov. 27 at Del Mar. Off at 10-1 in a field of 14, Beyond Brilliant, who was a close third two starts back in the G2 Twilight Derby here on Oct. 31, has now won two out of his last three races—all with Kent Desormeaux, who rides back on Sunday.

A bay colt by Twirling Candy, Beyond Brilliant is owned by Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable LLC and is 9-3-2-2 with earnings of $381,280.

Originally trained by Baffert, Du Jour was sent to trainer Bill Mott to run in the G1 Belmont Derby July 10, a race in which he finished fourth. Subsequently third in the G1 Saratoga Derby Aug. 7, he was most recently a dull eighth as the 9-5 favorite in the ungraded Dueling Downs Derby going 1 5/16 miles on turf Sept. 5 at Kentucky Downs. Following that race, Du Jour was returned to Baffert at Santa Anita and the bay colt by Temple City has a series of six drills, all on Santa Anita's inner training track, for his return.

Twin Creeks Racing's homebred Law Professor comes off a sharp off the pace win in a first condition allowance going one mile on turf Nov. 27 at Del Mar and appears to have found a home on the grass. Trained by Michael McCarthy, this gelding by Constitution earned an 85 Beyer in his most recent start and should get a lively pace to run at on Sunday.

THE GRADE 2 SANTA ANITA MATHIS MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGTHS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

None Above the Law—Joe Bravo—124
Tarantino—Juan Hernandez—120
Airman—Umberto Rispoli—120
Zoffarelli—Drayden Van Dyke–122
Cane Creek Road—Victor Espinoza—120
Flashiest—Abel Cedillo—122
Du Jour—Flavien Prat–122
Beyond Brilliant—Kent Desormeaux—124
Law Professor—Jose Ortiz—120

One of six graded stakes on Sunday, the Santa Anita Mathis Mile has been carded as the seventh race on an 11-race Opening Day program which gets underway at 11 a.m. Admission gates open at 9 a.m.

The post Beyond Brilliant, Du Jour Square Off In Santa Anita Mathis Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Hot Rod Charlie Back For More In Sunday’s San Antonio

One of America's most consistent and talented 3-year-olds throughout 2021, Hot Rod Charlie heads a field of seven 3-year-olds and up in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita. An iconic prep for the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, the San Antonio will be run for the 84th time and is one of six graded stakes on a blockbuster 11-race Opening Day program.

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

Extra Hope—Tyler Baze–121
Express Train—Victor Espinoza—125
Go On—Mario Gutierrez–119
Hot Rod Charlie—Flavien Prat—123
Eight Rings—John Velazquez—121
Kiss Today Goodbye—Kent Desormeaux—121
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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Red-Hot Going Global Will Try To Stretch Out In Sunday’s American Oaks

A winner of six out of her seven stateside starts, all this year, trainer Phil D'Amato's Irish-bred Going Global looms a standout among 11 sophomore fillies going a mile and one quarter on turf in Sunday's Grade 1, $300,000 American Oaks at Santa Anita. One of three G1 stakes and six Graded events, the American Oaks has been slotted as the final race on a big 11-race card with first post time at 11 a.m.

A winner of her last two starts, the G2 Goldikova Stakes at one mile on turf Nov. 6 and the G1 Del Mar Oaks at a mile and one eighth on turf Aug. 21, Going Global has bagged a total of five graded wins for D'Amato in what has been a truly sensational year.

Although she's in top form, Going Global has never tackled a mile and quarter, so that remains a question with regular rider Flavien Prat set to ride her for the eighth consecutive time. A winner of one of four starts in her native Ireland, Going Global, who is owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, has seven wins from 11 starts and earnings of $648,792.

Trained by Chad Brown, eastern-based Fluffy Socks comes off a neck win going a mile and one eighth on turf at Belmont Park in the G2 Sands Point Stakes on Oct. 16 and will be ridden on Sunday for the first time by Mike Smith. Raced exclusively on turf through 10 starts, she has four wins, three seconds and one third-place finish, but will also be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time. Based at Belmont Park, she has a pair of half mile works over Santa Anita's main track, most recently, a half in 47.60 on Dec. 19.

Forwardly placed throughout, trainer Michael McCarthy's Irish-bred Nicest finished third, beaten a half length going 1 3/8 miles on turf in Del Mar's G3 Red Carpet Handicap Nov. 25 and has the look of a long-fused filly that will appreciate the Oaks distance. Owned by Katsumi Yoshida, Nicest will be making her second start for McCarthy and third in America when ridden for the first time by John Velazquez on Sunday.

In addition to Going Global, D'Amato will also be well represented by Irish-bred Burgoo Alley who has been freshened since taking the G3 Autumn Miss Stakes here at one mile on turf Oct. 30. Attentive to the pace in all six of her stateside starts both sprinting and at middle distances, she'll be trying a mile and one quarter for the first time with regular rider Umberto Rispoli. Owned by CYBT, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, Burgoo Alley is 9-3-2-1 overall and has two wins from four tries over the Santa Anita lawn.

THE GRADE 1 AMERICAN OAKS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Fluffy Socks—Mike Smith—124
Core Values—Abel Cedillo—124
Closing Remarks—Joe Bravo–124
Nicest—John Velazquez—124
Going Global—Flavien Prat—124
Charges Dropped—Kent Desormeaux—124
Burgoo Alley—Umberto Rispoli—124
Ivy League—Kyle Frey—124
Queen Goddess—Juan Hernandez—124
Eddie's New Dream—Mario Gutierrez—124
Single Soul—Jose Ortiz–124

First post time for an 11-race card on Sunday is at 11 a.m., admission gates will open at 9 a.m.

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