santa anita | Horse Racing Free Tips

Forbidden Kingdom Gets the Acid Test in San Felipe

Two for three in one-turn tests on the main track, MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) tries a distance of ground as the narrow 8-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday's GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita.

A $300,000 graduate of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase, the chestnut wired a field of Del Mar maidens on debut going 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 21, but failed to transfer that form to the grass when third–albeit with some trouble–in the Oct. 1 Speakeasy S. at this venue. A pacesetting second behind 'TDN Rising Star' and future GIII Robert B. Lewis S. romper Messier (Empire Maker) in the GIII Bob Hope S. at the seaside oval in November, Forbidden Kingdom accounted for next-out G3 Saudi Derby hero Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) when last seen in the GII San Vicente S. Jan. 29.

Produced by a Grade III-winning juvenile, Forbidden Kingdom is out of a half-sister to Sara Louise (Five Star Day), twice a graded winner at a one-turn mile and whose daughter Sara Street (Street Sense)–also by a GI Kentucky Derby winner–stayed nine furlongs well enough to go close in the nine-furlong GII Gazelle S.

A 3 1/2-length debut winner in a six-furlong maiden at Los Alamitos Dec. 11, 'TDN Rising Star' Doppelganger (Into Mischief) was the 9-10 chalk for the San Vicente, but raced wide on the track and never landed a serious blow, finishing fourth. Acquired for $570,000 at the same sale as Forbidden Kingdom, the April foal is bred on the Into Mischief cross over Fappiano-line sires that has resulted in Grade I winners Mandaloun, Covfefe and other two-turn graded winners Private Mission, Largent and Maximus Mischief. Bob Baffert has saddled eight winners of the San Felipe, including Into Mischief sons Authentic and Life Is Good the last two years.

The commonly owned Armagnac (Quality Road), a $210,000 KEESEP purchase, holds the distinction of being the only member of this septet with a victory going two turns on the main track, having graduated by 2 1/4 front-running lengths over this track and distance Jan. 21. He was previously third to his stablemate Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}) sprinting on New Year's Eve debut.

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Envoutante Ships In For Beholder Mile

Four of the previous five winners of the GI Beholder Mile were either already in possession of an Eclipse Award or would go on to become a champion later in their career. The Ken McPeek-conditioned 2020 champion 3-year-old filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) made light work of last year's renewal and the barn will look to defend their title this weekend with Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Envoutante (Uncle Mo).

Same as she did during her 3-year-old season in 2020, the dark bay was kept busy with seven starts last term, good for a record of 2-1-2. Runner-up to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI La Troienne S. on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard Apr. 30, Envoutante was the easy winner of the Shawnee S. at Churchill in late May, then was third to Letruska (Super Saver) after being somewhat conservatively ridden in the GII Fleur de Lis S. the following month. Third to Shedaresthedevil in Churchill's GIII Locust Grove S. Sept. 18, she beat just one home when fifth in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland Oct. 10, but overwhelmed her rivals to successfully defend her GII Falls City S. title, defeating Bonny South (Munnings) by the same six-length margin as she did 12 months prior.

As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) has the home field advantage as she tries to become the second top-level dirt scorer for her sire. Clearly runner-up in last year's race, the homebred daughter of the outstanding Take Charge Lady (Dehere) was successful no fewer than four times at the graded level, annexing the GII Santa Margarita S. (by 9 1/4 lengths) in and the GII Santa Maria S. in the springtime, the GIII Bayakoa S. in December and a latest 13 1/2-length romp in the GIII La Canada S. on New Year's Day.

While the Beholder looks all over a two-horse affair, the in-form Miss Bigly (Gemologist) could be the one to pick up a valuable Grade I placing. Second to Envoutante in the Shawnee, the 6-year-old was second in the Jan. 8 Pippin S. at Oaklawn and most recently annexed that track's GIII Bayakoa S. Feb. 12.

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Space Traveller Shoots For Moon In Kilroe Mile

Space Traveller (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}), who ran well enough in his last two over nine-furlong trips that likely stretch him, cuts back to the mile and rates a long look in Saturday's GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. at Santa Anita.

Trained in Europe by Richard Fahey, the 6-year-old was a five-time winner from 19 starts, including the G3 Jersey S. over a straight seven furlongs at Royal Ascot in 2019 and a narrow victory in that year's G2 Solonaway S. going a mile around the relatively flat and left-turning track at Leopardstown. Runner-up in the GI Woodbine Mile and fifth–not beaten far for second–in the GI Keeneland Turf Mile in his first two starts for Brendan Walsh late last year, the dark bay was an even fourth in the Dec. 18 GII Fort Lauderdale S. and a late-on-the-scene third behind defending champ Colonel Liam (Liam's Map) after some early trouble in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Jan. 29.

Trainer Phil D'Amato sent out Bowies Hero (Artie Schiller) to take out the 2018 Kilroe and tightens the girth around the veteran Count Again (Awesome Again) this afternoon. A Grade III winner over 10 furlongs when under the care of Gail Cox for the first half of his career, the 7-year-old defeated Flavius (War Front) to win the 2020 GII Seabiscuit H. before striking out in five starts last term. Last of a quintet in the GII Del Mar Mile S. in August, the bay returned running with a half-length defeat of Subconscious (Tapit) in the GIII Thunder Road S. over course and distance Feb. 5. The latter, who beat next-out GI Hollywood Derby hero Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy) into third in the GII Twilight Derby last October, appeared to have the Thunder Road at his mercy, but lugged in repeatedly approaching the final furlong and could not resist the late rally of Count Again.

Law Professor (Constitution), an allowance winner on turf at Del Mar in late November, won the rained-off GII Santa Anita Mathis Mile Dec. 26 and returns to the grass off a runner-up effort to Big 'Cap favorite Express Train (Union Rags) in the GII San Pasqual S. Feb. 5.

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Express Train Seeks Elusive Grade I in Big ‘Cap

Placed no fewer than four times at the top level, C R K Stable LLC's Express Train (Union Rags) looks to get over the hump in Saturday's GI Santa Anita H., the last of six graded events on a blockbuster program at the Great Race Place.

Runner-up to Charlatan (Speightstown) in the 2020 GI Malibu S., the $500,000 Keeneland September acquisition filled the same spot behind Idol (Curlin) in this event 12 months ago. Third to recent G1 Saudi Cup second Country Grammer (Tonalist) in the GI Hollywood Gold Cup a couple starts later, the bay was third to the late Medina Spirit (Protonico) in the GI Awesome Again S. and exits victories in the GII San Antonio S. Dec. 26 and a successful defense of his title in the GII San Pasqual S. Feb. 5.

“I hope there's a little speed in the race and we can sit a bit off it if all goes well,” said trainer John Shirreffs. “We're really happy with Express Train, how he's doing now and what he's accomplished.”

Though he has yet to get his picture taken in six outings since bringing $420,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July HORA Sale, Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) has earned back better than $483,000 with some high-profile performances. After completing the exacta at nearly 55-1 in the Awesome Again, the chestnut was a respectable fifth behind Horse of the Year Knicks Go (Paynter) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic in November before cutting back to seven furlongs to finish third to 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) in the GI Runhappy Malibu S. He punched above his weight yet again when a longshot third to 'Rising Star' and G1 Dubai World Cup-bound Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 and is in line for another handsome payday here.

Warrant (Constitution) hasn't missed the top three in his eight trips to the post to date, finishing runner-up in the GIII West Virginia Derby last August ahead of a convincing 1 3/4-length success in the GIII Oklahoma Derby Sept. 26. Given a bit of a breather, the Twin Creeks homebred stands to come on greatly for his third-place effort to 'Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Saudi Cup third Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GIII Louisiana S. at the Fair Grounds Jan. 22.

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