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Cairo Prince Colt Springs the Upset in San Antonio

John Sondereker’s Kiss Today Goodbye swooped to the lead in the dying strides to upset the field in the GII San Antonio S. at Santa Anita Saturday. The 15-1 shot settled at the back of the pack as heavy favorite Mucho Gusto (Mucho Macho Man) shadowed Take the One O One through fractions of :23.83 and :47.81. Mucho Gusto moved up to challenge the pacesetter from the outside at the top of the lane as Idol put in his bid along the rail. The three looked set to battle it out to the wire, but Kiss Today Goodbye unleashed a powerful late rally down the center of the track to just get on top in the final strides. Mucho Gusto tired late and settled for fourth in his first start since a fourth-place effort in the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup.

“I was impressed with his last race and I wasn’t even riding him,” winning jockey Mike Smith said. “He ran by me in that last race. I thank [trainer] Eric Kruljac for the opportunity of riding him and for his great training job. The race was shaping up for him with the speed up front and when it came time to run, he took off. I just guided him around the track.”

Third behind Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) in the Aug. 1 Shared Belief S. at Del Mar, Kiss Today Goodbye moved to the lawn to finish fifth in the Sept. 6 GII Del Mar Derby and fourth in the Oct. 18 GII Twilight Derby. He returned to the main track to win a one-mile optional claimer at Del Mar last time out Nov. 14.

“He was always very immature early on,” Kruljac said. “It just took him longer to get to where he is and I think he is really just beginning to mature. About four races back he got absolutely sandblasted and was basically eased in the race. I basically told Mike, ‘He’s better with the kickback, but it was a factor that day.’ As you can see when Mike came back, he ate the dirt, the colt has put it all together and Mike gave him an absolutely perfect ride. The pace gods were on our side.”

Sondereker began owning racehorses in the early 2000s after retiring from a 40-year career in the financial industry. Kruljac credited the owner with the decision to run in the San Antonio.

“John said his sheet numbers were going up and up, and he is a numbers guy,” Kruljac said. “The horse has trained like that but as a trainer I look at the older horses and see what they have already done, I go, ‘Oh my God, what are we doing?’ But he was right. It sure set up well, and the two scratches helped.”

With some 20 horses in training in California with Kruljac, the owner made a big splash at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase when he purchased a filly by War Front (hip 248) for $625,000.

Pedigree Notes:

Savvy Hester was third in the 2014 GII Dance Smartly S. Kiss Today Goodbye, her second foal, is the fifth graded winner for his multiple graded stakes winning sire, Cairo Prince. The Airdrie stallion has also been represented by last year’s GII Prioress S. winner Royal Charlotte, this year’s GIII Ohio Derby winner Dean Martini, 2018 GIII Iroquois S. winner Cairo Cat and 2019 GII Sands Point S. winner New and Improved.

Saturday, Santa Anita
SAN ANTONIO S.-GII, $200,500, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo/up,
1 1/16m, 1:43.37, ft.
1–KISS TODAY GOODBYE, 120, c, 3, by Cairo Prince
1st Dam: Savvy Hester (SW & GSP-Can, MSP-USA,
$290,219), by Heatseeker (Ire)
2nd Dam: Changeable, by Miswaki
3rd Dam: Changing Tunes, by Nijinsky II
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($150,000
Ylg ’18 KEEJAN). O-John Sondereker; B-Debmar Stables (KY);
T-J. Eric Kruljac; J-Mike E. Smith. $120,000. Lifetime Record:
11-3-0-3, $230,802. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Idol, 119, c, 3, Curlin–Marion Ravenwood, by A.P. Indy.
($375,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Calvin Nguyen; B-My
Meadowview LLC (KY); T-Richard Baltas. $40,000.
3–Take the One O One, 122, h, 5, Acclamation–North Freeway,
by Jump Start. ($47,000 Ylg ’16 NCAAUG). O-Jay Em Ess Stable;
B-Thomas W Bachman (CA); T-Brian J. Koriner. $24,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 15.80, 4.00, 29.10.
Also Ran: Mucho Gusto, Midcourt, Extra Hope. Scratched: Combatant, Sharp Samurai.
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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Smooth Like Strait Prompt Favorite In Mathis Brothers Mile

Cannon Thoroughbreds' homebred Smooth Like Strait continued his dominance of the West Coast's 3-year-old male turf division in Saturday's Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes on opening day at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., taking over from front-running Storm the Court in the stretch and winning comfortably by three-quarters of a length.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, the Midnight Lute colt trained by Michael McCarthy covered one mile on a firm turf course in 1:33.51 and paid $3.60 as the 4-5 favorite. Storm the Court held second by a half-length at 10-1 odds after setting fractions of :23.02, :46.49, 1:10.12 and 1:21.67. Whisper Not, the 5-2 second choice in the wagering, finished third in the field of seven 3-year-olds, a head in front of Field Pass, with Scarto fifth, Strongconstitution sixth and Heywoods Beach seventh.

Smooth Like Strait, coming off a head defeat to East Coast invader Domestic Spending in the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Nov. 28, broke smoothly and sat just off Storm the Court throughout. Rispoli edged the colt up alongside Storm the Court at the top of the stretch and quickly put his head in front, but Storm the Court fought back and only gave way grudgingly in the final sixteenth.

“We knew Storm the Court would be going for the lead, so I just wanted to sit back of him,” said Rispoli, who has now won two of his last three races aboard Smooth Like Strait. “We got the perfect trip…When it came time to ask him in the stretch, he was ready to go.”

The victory was the sixth in 12 stars for the Kentucky-bred Smooth Like Strait, who was produced from the Flower Alley mare, Smooth As Usual. He's won four graded stakes, all in Southern California, and added the listed War Chant at Churchill Downs in May.

“I was surprised at how well he came out of the Hollywood Derby,” said McCarthy. “He put in a couple of works that were I thought maintenance type works, but everything he was showing me in the morning, and the way he was acting around the barn. I thought about it for a couple of days whether we should go or wait until March, give him a little bit of a break over the winter. But he acted like he had his mind on running today and I'm glad we got him over here.”

McCarthy said Smooth Like Strait will get a short break before pointing to two G1 races in the spring, the Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 6, and the Shoemaker Mile on May 31.

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Wedding Vows, Sham Stakes Highlight Busy Week For Lerner

Andrew Lerner is looking forward to next Saturday when he runs Uncle Boogie in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., but he has greater anticipation at stake on Sunday. The 31-year-old trainer is getting married to his long-time love, Katie.

“We've been together for seven years and we were going to get married in June,” Lerner said Saturday morning after working Uncle Boogie four furlongs under Flavian Prat, who rides the Florida-bred son of the Curlin sire Ride the Curlin in the $100,000 Sham for 3-year-olds at one mile.

“We expected to have a bigger wedding with about 200 people back then but the venue in Malibu called us and said if we want it with dancing and no masks, no social distancing, we're going to have to wait until 2022.

“We didn't want to do that so we decided on Dec. 27 which is tomorrow with just immediate family, so it will be a small wedding with about 19 people.”

Meanwhile, back on the track, Uncle Boogie breezed this morning “and Flavien liked his work,” Lerner said. “The horse went well in company sitting outside Miss Glorious. I got him in 48 and change and he galloped out nicely. Provided he comes out of the work good we plan to run.”

Otherwise, Lerner is “trying to reload for the upcoming meet with some incoming two-year-olds coming and recycling our stock a bit.”

Uncle Boogie won his debut race, a $32,000 maiden claimer on Oct. 12 at Santa Anita, by 6 ¼ lengths, and was second in his last two including the G3 Bob Hope going seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 15.

His running style indicates he should like the added distances of the Sham, a starting point on the Triple Crown trail which offers 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the winner, four to the runner-up, two to the third-place finisher, and one to the fourth.

The colt is owned by Eric Homme, “a good owner and a really nice guy,” Lerner said. “He got into the game two years ago taking fractional percentages of horses. Uncle Boogie is the first horse he owns solely.”

Seems like congratulations are in order all around.

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Weekend Lineup Presented by Christmastide Day At Laurel Park: Showdown In The Malibu

Saturday marks opening day at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., and racing secretary Chris Merz has put together an outstanding 11-race program that drew 104 entries (9.5 per race) and features six stakes races, including three Grade 1 contests: the Runhappy Malibu for 3-year-olds going seven furlong, the La Brea for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs, and the American Oaks for 3-year-olds going 1 1/4 miles on turf.

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.

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