On this fine Christmas Eve many children are eagerly awaiting a visit from their favorite mythical gift giver. I am looking forward to attending church and spending the day with friends and family. It is a very special time of the year that requires a great deal of preparation and anticipation. Then, Christmas Day comes and goes like a flash. Fortunately, the big guy in red isn’t the only Santa I’m waiting on. Here comes Santa Claus Anita!
The 81st season of Thoroughbred racing at “The Great Race Place”, Santa Anita Park, begins on Tuesday 12/26/17. The race track was constructed in Arcadia, California in 1934. It is beautiful, with palm trees in the center and the San Gabriel Mountains in the background. Opening day of the meet will offer 9 races that include 4 graded stakes. The stakes, on day one, are the Grade 1 Malibu, the G1 La Brea, the G2 San Antonio and the G2 Mathis Brothers Mile.
The gates to Santa Anita Park will open at 10:00 A.M. PT with the 1st race posting at noon PT (3 P.M. EST) and the last race at 4:21 P.M. PT (7:21 P.M. EST). I am most interested in the outcome of the third race, the San Antonio Stakes, posting at 1:04 P.M. PT (4:04 P.M. EST). Traditionally held in February, the 80th edition of the San Antonio was moved to opening day to serve as a prep race for the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. The $16 million dollar Pegasus will take place at Gulfstream Park on 1/27/18. I want to see if Collected or Prime Attraction are ready to compete in the Pegasus, whose field of contenders is yet unconfirmed.
The San Antonio Stakes is a dirt race of 1 and 1/16 miles (8.5 furlongs). It carries a purse of $300,000. The race is open to Thoroughbreds age 3 and older. 6 contenders will face off. Here is the field by post position/horse/jockey/trainer/owner/breeder/and morning-line odds:
- Hoppertunity/Flavien Prat/Bob Baffert/Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman/Betz, D.J. Stable, Kidder, J. Betz, Robenalt/5-1
- Top of the Game/Kent J. Desormeaux/Vladimir Cerin/Holly and David Wilson/Cantrell Family Partnership, Ltd./6-1
- Giant Expectations/Gary L. Stephens/Peter Eurton/Exline-Border Racing LLC., /Sunrise Stables/15-1
- Prime Attraction/Victor Espinoza/James M. Cassidy/DP Racing/Payson Stud, Inc./6-1
- Accelerate/Javier Castellano/John W. Sadler/Hronis Racing, LLC./Mike Abraham/5-1
- Collected/Mike E. Smith/Bob Baffert/Speedway Stable, LLC./Runnymeade Farm Inc. and Peter J. Callahan/3-5
Hoppertunity already won the San Antonio Stakes once this year and he won in 2016 too. The race was last held 2/4/17 in its traditional spot on the calendar. Will this 6 year-old multiple graded stakes winning horse be the first to win it thrice overall and also twice in the same year? Hoppertunity is KY bred and was foaled to Any Given Saturday and Refugee. Ranked 15th in earning in 2016, this world traveler has not won since the San Antonio. His last start was the day after Thanksgiving in his 4th Clark Handicap where he finished third. His career 28 starts have resulted in 7 wins, 7 second place and 5 third place finish (read 7-7-5). Another win in the San Antonio will tie Baffert for most wins as an owner. Richard Mandella leads with 7 wins. He may give jockey, Prat, his third win in this race.
Top of the Game is a 4 year-old gelding. Another KY bred, he is sired by Desert Party, his dam is Indy Future. Top of the Game broke his maiden in his 7th race. His last start was his first attempt at a graded stakes, the Native Diver, raced this November, where he finished 4th. He won a black type race a month prior. He has won 4 of 5 starts at Santa Anita. His career is is 4-1-1 for 13 races. His jockey, Desormeaux won in 1994 with The Wicked North.
Giant Expectations is a 4 year old NY bred colt and may favor NY to CA racing. He is the offspring of Frost Giant and Sarahisittrue. Just like Top of the Game, Giant Expectations broke his maiden in his 7th start. He won a Grade 2 stakes this past summer, the Pat O’Brien Stakes, which gave him an automatic berth into his last start, the Las Vegas Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, in November, where he finished 6th. He is 3-3-1 for 12 starts.
Prime Attraction is a 4 year-old colt bred in KY and he was born to Unbridled’s Song and Strawberry Sense. Prime Attraction won his last start. It was his first graded stakes win where he beat Top of the Game in the Native Diver. He has raced 8 times at Santa Anita, winning there twice. Prime Attraction is a possible contender for the Pegasus. He is 4-2-0 for 12 starts.
Accelerate is also a 4 year-old KY bred colt. He is the product of Lookin at Lucky and Issues. He has won 2 graded stakes and he has raced in the Las Vegas BC Dirt Mile twice, finishing 3rd and then 9th. The 9th place finish was his last start, this past month. He finished 3rd in the San Antonio earlier this year. He has raced 7 times at Santa Anita and never won there. His most astonishing feat was beating Arrogate in the San Diego Handicap. In all of his 14 starts his career results are 4-3-5.
Collected, the favorite, is the horse featured in each of the photos in this story. He has a royal blue shadow roll over his nose, wearing saddle cloth 10 and ridden by Javier Castellano, wearing white and red. I watched him win the Grade 3 Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on 4/16/16. It was his 2nd of 5 graded stakes wins. Collected is a 4 year-old son of City Zip and Helena Bay. Collected’s finest win was the $1 million dollar Grade 1 TVG Pacific Classic Stakes. He has beaten Arrogate as well. He finished 2nd in his last start, the BC Classic. In all, he finished 8-2-0 in 12 starts. His jockey Mike Smith won this race with Game on Dude in 2013, the horses 2nd San Antonio win, and with Shared Belief in 2015.
I hope Santa Claus brings you everything on your list and then Santa Anita will be the gift that keeps on giving as the meet continues through the end of June. May everyone have a very Merry Christmas and holiday season. Savor the moment and keep the memories in your hearts forever. Peace and love to all of you. Check back soon as Thoroughbred U celebrates the upcoming 4th year.
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