Fields have been drawn for the winter-spring meet opener at Santa Anita on December 26. The nine-race program features four graded stakes, including the $300,000 Malibu (G1) for three-year-olds and the $300,000 La Brea (G1) for three-year-old fillies, both at seven furlongs.
A notable absentee from the Malibu is undefeated Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Drefong, who was removed from consideration after recently developing a fever.
“He got a little temp last week so I had to treat him,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “He had worked very well for the race but he’s just going back to the track now.”
Baffert will have three Malibu starters, including Grade 1-winning Mor Spirit, who makes his first start since a 10th-place effort in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Another is Ten Blessings, a course-and-distance allowance winner on November 4.
Others likely to attract play are Amsterdam (G2) hero Mind Your Biscuits, third to Drefong in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last time, and Grade 3 victor Sharp Azteca from the Jorge Navarro barn.
8th Race – Santa Anita Park – Monday, December 26th, 2016
| STAKES. 7 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $300,000. FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS. (Foals of 2013). By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination closed Friday, December 16 with 22 or by supplementary nomination of $6,000 at time of entry. $1,500 to pass the entry box and $3,000 additional to start, with $300,000 guaranteed, of which $180,000 to the winner, $60,000 to second, $36,000 to third, $18,000 to fourth and $6,000 to fifth. 124 lbs. Non-winners of a Grade I Stake since May 1, 2016, allowed 3 lbs. Non-winners of a Graded Stakes since December 26, 2015, allowed 5 lbs. Graded or Group winners have first preference regardless of weight. Horses with the highest earnings in non-claiming races have preference after allowances. Starters to be named through the entry box by the closing time of entries. A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. (04:00PM) (10) |
| PP | Horse | A/S | M/E | Wgt | Jockey | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Navy Hymn | 3 G | L | 119 | Contreras Luis | Baltas Richard | |
| 2 | Mind Your Biscuits | 3 C | L | 121 | Rosario Joel | Falcone, Jr. Robert N. | |
| 3 | Semper Fortis | 3 C | L | 119 | Gutierrez Mario | O’Neill Doug F. | |
| 4 | Ten Blessings | 3 C | L | 119 | Bejarano Rafael | Baffert Bob | |
| 5 | Jazzy Times | 3 C | L | 119 | Garcia Martin | Baffert Bob | |
| 6 | Who’s Out | 3 C | L | 119 | Prat Flavien | Hollendorfer Jerry | |
| 7 | Sharp Azteca | 3 C | L | 121 | Zayas Edgard J. | Navarro Jorge | |
| 8 | Mor Spirit | 3 R | L | 121 | Smith Mike E. | Baffert Bob | |
| 9 | Awesome Banner | 3 C | L | 121 | Leparoux Julien R. | Casse Mark E. | |
| 10 | Horse Greedy | 3 G | L | 119 | Theriot Jamie | Koriner Brian J. | |
The La Brea features Finley’sluckycharm, an 8 1/2-length stakes winner at Churchill Downs last time and unbeaten in five tries around one turn, and the multiple graded stakes winning Lightstream.
7th Race – Santa Anita Park – Monday, December 26th, 2016
| STAKES. 7 Furlongs Dirt. Purse $300,000. FOR FILLIES, THREE-YEAR-OLDS. (Foals of 2013). By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination closed Friday, December 16 with 11 or by supplementary nomination of $6,000 at time of entry. $1,500 to enter, $3,000 additional to start, with $300,000 guaranteed of which $180,000 to the winner, $60,000 to second, $36,000 to third, $18,000 to fourth and $6,000 to fifth. 124 lbs. Non-winners of a Grade I stake since May 1, 2016, allowed 3 lbs.; Non-winners of a Graded Stakes since December 26, 2015 allowed 5 lbs. Graded or Group winners have first preference regardless of weight. Horses with the highest earnings in non-claiming races have preference after allowances. Starters to be named through the entry box by the closing time of entries. A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. (03:30PM) (8) |
| PP | Horse | A/S | M/E | Wgt | Jockey | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lunar Empress | 3 F | L | 119 | Arroyo, Jr. Norberto | Baltas Richard | |
| 2 | Lightstream | 3 F | L | 121 | Leparoux Julien R. | Lynch Brian A. | |
| 3 | Finley’sluckycharm | 3 F | L | 119 | Hernandez, Jr. Brian Joseph | Calhoun W. Bret | |
| 4 | Constellation | 3 F | L | 119 | Flores David Romero | Hollendorfer Jerry | |
| 5 | Coniah | 3 F | L | 119 | Baze Tyler | Gaines Carla | |
| 6 | Chao Chom | 3 F | L | 119 | Desormeaux Kent J. | Stute Gary | |
| 7 | Enola Gray | 3 F | L | 119 | Smith Mike E. | D’Amato Philip | |
| 8 | Perfect Pic | 3 F | L | 119 | Gonzalez Santiago | Cassidy James M. | |
The $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile (G2), for three-year-olds on the turf, attracted a field of 11 with Frank Conversation, Conquest Enforcer, Isotherm, and Blackjackcat among the notables.
9th Race – Santa Anita Park – Monday, December 26th, 2016
| STAKES. 1 Mile Turf. Purse $200,000. FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS. (Foals of 2013). By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination closed Friday, December 16 with 19 or by supplementary nomination of $4,000 at time of entry. $3,000 to start, with $200,000 guaranteed of which $120,000 to the winner, $40,000 to second, $24,000 to third, $12,000 to fourth and $4,000 to fifth. 124 lbs. Non-winners of a Grade I or Grade II stake at One Mile or Over since May 1, 2016, allowed 3 lbs. Non-winners of a Sweepstakes of $20,000 at One Mile or Over since December 26, 2015, allowed 5 lbs. Horses with the highest earnings in non-claiming races will have preference after allowances. Starters to be named through the entry box by the closing time of entries. A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. (04:30PM) (11) |
| PP | Horse | A/S | M/E | Wgt | Jockey | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mittersill (IRE) | 3 C | L | 119 | Rosario Joel | Gallagher Patrick | |
| 2 | Blackjackcat | 3 G | L | 119 | Smith Mike E. | Glatt Mark | |
| 3 | Moonlight Drive (ITY) | 3 C | L | 119 | Bejarano Rafael | Baffert Bob | |
| 4 | Conquest Enforcer | 3 C | L | 121 | Prat Flavien | D’Amato Philip | |
| 5 | Fabozzi | 3 G | L | 119 | Contreras Luis | Glatt Mark | |
| 6 | Isotherm | 3 C | L | 119 | Desormeaux Kent J. | Weaver George | |
| 7 | Path of David | 3 G | L | 121 | Talamo Joseph | Mulhall Kristin | |
| 8 | Frank Conversation | 3 C | L | 124 | Gutierrez Mario | O’Neill Doug F. | |
| 9 | Blackout (FR) | 3 C | L | 119 | Leparoux Julien R. | Casse Mark E. | |
| 10 | Defiantly | 3 C | L | 121 | Blanc Brice | Dollase Craig | |
| 11 | Tusk | 3 G | L | 119 | Van Dyke Drayden | Motion H. Graham | |
A full field of 14 kicks off the stakes action in the $100,000 San Simeon (G3) for older horses at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf. The probable favorite is Holy Lute, winner of an Eddie D (G3) division two starts back and sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) most recently.
6th Race – Santa Anita Park – Monday, December 26th, 2016
| STAKES. 6 1/2 Furlongs Downhill turf. Purse $100,000. DOWNHILL TURF FOR THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD. By subscription of $100 each to accompany the nomination closed Friday, December 16 with 26 or by supplementary nomination of $2,000 at time of entry. $1,500 to start with $100,000 guaranteed of which $60,000 to the winner, $20,000 to second, $12,000 to third, $6,000 to fourth and $2,000 to fifth. Three-Year-Olds: 123. Older: 125 lbs. Non-winners of a Graded stakes since May 1, 2016, allowed 2 lbs. Non-winners of a Sweepstakes of $20,000 since December 26, 2015, allowed 4 lbs. Total earnings in non claiming races the past 18 months will be used in determining the preference of horses with equal weights. Starters to be named through the entry box by the closing time of entries. A trophy will be presented to the winning owner. (03:00PM) (14) |
| PP | Horse | A/S | M/E | Wgt | Jockey | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jimmy Bouncer | 5 G | L | 123 | Gutierrez Mario | O’Neill Doug F. | |
| 2 | Hobbits Hero | 5 G | L | 121 | Bejarano Rafael | Baltas Richard | |
| 3 | Stormy Liberal | 4 G | L | 121 | Arroyo, Jr. Norberto | Miller Peter | |
| 4 | Drummer (GER) | 4 G | L | 121 | Baze Tyler | Drysdale Neil D. | |
| 5 | Ohio (BRZ) | 5 H | L | 121 | Van Dyke Drayden | Lobo Paulo H. | |
| 6 | Acceptance | 4 C | L | 123 | Elliott Stewart | Black Kenneth D. | |
| 7 | Cape Wolfe (GB) | 4 G | L | 121 | Gonzalez Santiago | Sherlock Gary | |
| 8 | Richard’s Boy | 4 G | L | 121 | Espinoza Victor | Miller Peter | |
| 9 | He Will | 4 C | L | 121 | Prat Flavien | Hollendorfer Jerry | |
| 10 | Tough Sunday | 4 C | L | 121 | Sutherland Chantal | Miyadi Steven | |
| 11 | Bettys Bambino | 6 G | L | 121 | Rosario Joel | Eurton Peter | |
| 12 | Holy Lute | 6 H | L | 125 | Theriot Jamie | Cassidy James M. | |
| 13 | Horse Laugh | 5 G | L | 121 | Contreras Luis | Piccioni Gerard | |
| 14 | Iron Rob | 3 G | L | 121 | Nakatani Corey S. | Papaprodromou George | |
