STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN__SUNDAY, JUNE 9, 2024 __Photo: Ernie Belmonte
•SPECIAL THURSDAY CARD INCLUDES HIGH-PRICED ZEDAN MAIDEN•GIII SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO LEADS 3 STAKES ON CLOSING WEEK•WORK TAB: ARABIAN KNIGHT, UNBEATEN MEDORO DRILL•SATURDAY’S $1 PICK 6 PAYS $24,734 FOR 2 WINNING TICKETS
SPECIAL THURSDAY CARD INCLUDES HIGH-PRICED ZEDAN MAIDENClosing week of the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet kicks off this Thursday with a solid nine-race card starting at 1 p.m. PT. Featured on the program is a maiden race for 2-year-old fillies that includes a new high-priced prospect for owner Amr Zedan and trainer Bob Baffert.
Set to debut in the sixth race at five furlongs on dirt for Zedan and Baffert is Nooni, who commanded a sale-topping $1.8 million earlier this year at the OBS March Sale of 2-year-olds in training. She is by Florida-based freshman stallion Win Win Win out of the Union Rags mare Unanimity. Nooni’s high price tag came after she worked the fastest quarter mile at the sale’s under-tack show, completing her move in a swift 20.1 seconds.
Nooni, who is named after Zedan’s wife, has worked 10 times at Santa Anita since April 3. Last month, she earned consecutive bullets when working four furlongs. On May 20, Nooni zipped the distance in 46.20 seconds. Seven days later she went a half mile in 46.40 seconds. This morning at Santa Anita, Nooni was clocked going three furlongs in 37.0 seconds.
Nooni will break from post five in an eight-horse field for her unveiling. She will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.
Post time for Thursday’s sixth race is approximately 3:30 p.m. The field in post position order: Kitty Marren, Jeremy Laprida; Lady of Light, Mike Smith; Maclean’s Girl, Edwin Maldonado; Clapping Tree, Joe Talamo; Nooni, Juan Hernandez; She’s My Flame, Tiago Pereira; Pretty Cecy, Ricky Gonzalez; Lee’s Baby Girl, Antonio Fresu.
GIII SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO LEADS 3 STAKES ON CLOSING WEEKThe GIII San Juan Capistrano, Santa Anita’s traditional closing day feature, is among three stakes scheduled next week on the final weekend of the Hollywood Meet.
The San Juan Capistrano at 1 ¾ miles on turf is set for next Sunday. It will be joined on closing day by the Cinema Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf. One day earlier on Saturday, Santa Anita will host the Possibly Perfect Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 ¼ miles on turf.
Leading the nominees for the San Juan is Grade I winner Gold Phoenix. He most recently won the GII Charles Whittingham at 1 ¼ miles on turf May 4 at Santa Anita. Trainer Phil D’Amato Sunday said Gold Phoenix was possible to return in the San Juan.
Among the candidates for the Cinema is Final Boss, who was a good-looking allowance winner going 1 1/8 miles on turf here May 12 for trainer John Sadler. Trainer Michael McCarthy nominated Blue Eyed George, who is stakes-placed multiple times. He most recently finished off the board in the GII American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs.
The fields for the San Juan Capistrano and Cinema will be set on Thursday. Note first post next Sunday will be 30 minutes earlier than usual at 12:30 p.m. PT.
Nominees for Saturday’s Possibly Perfect include stakes winners Linda’s Gift, Musical Rhapsody and Mouffy. Linda’s Gift had a three-race win streak snapped when finishing fifth in the GI Gamely at 1 1/8 miles on May 27. She returned to the work tab Sunday with a five-furlong drill in 1:01.20 for trainer Richard Mandella.
Musical Rhapsody, trained by D’Amato, most recently won the 1 ½-mile Santa Barbara on May 11 at Santa Anita.Mouffy, trained by Jonathan Thomas, finished runner-up in both the GIII Megahertz and GII Buena Vista at a mile earlier this year at Santa Antia. She exits an eighth-place finish in the GIII Modesty going 1 1/8 miles May 3 at Churchill Downs.
Entries for the Possibly Perfect will be taken on Wednesday.
WORK TAB: ARABIAN KNIGHT, UNBEATEN MEDORO DRILLGrade I winner Arabian Knight and unbeaten multiple stakes winner Medoro were among 221 horses to have timed workouts Sunday at Santa Anita.
Arabian Knight worked four furlongs in 48.20 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert. Winner of last year’s GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar, Arabian Knight hasn’t started since a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
Medoro is a perfect 4-for-4 with three stakes wins for trainer Peter Eurton. The 3-year-old Honor Code filly most recently won the GIII Providencia April 20 at Santa Anita. Medoro went six weeks before returning to the work tab last Sunday with a half-mile drill. This morning, Medoro drilled three furlongs in 36.0 seconds.
Working for the third time on the comeback trail was Spirit of Makena, who last year won both the GII Triple Bend and GIII San Carlos for trainer George Papaprodromou. He went four furlongs in 48.40 seconds. The 5-year-old Ghostzapper horse hasn’t started since a ninth-place effort in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship Sept. 30.
SATURDAY’S $1 PICK 6 PAYS $24,734 FOR 2 WINNING TICKETSThe $1 Pick Six Saturday paid $24,734.80 for two winning tickets. The consolation payout for five winners was $261.70.
Entering the final leg, every horse in the field would have triggered a carryover except for the favorite, Carver. The favorite, trained by John Sadler, would prevail under Umberto Rispoli. Carver paid $4.60.
The winning horses in Saturday’s Pick Six starting with the fifth race were #2 El Diablo Rojo ($4.60), #7 Pure Madness ($36), #2 Sugar Fish ($13.40), #3 Madiha ($6.60), #1 Sharp Ride ($16) and #1 Carver ($4.60).
The Pick Six on Sunday starts with the fourth race at 2:37 p.m. PT. The sequence averages 8.2 starters per race before scratches.
FINISH LINES: Sugar Fish earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure for her impressive 9 ¾-length win in Saturday’s GII Summertime Oaks, according to Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free. Sugar Fish, ridden by Tyler Baze for trainer Jeff Mullins, romped to victory despite stumbling badly out of the starting gate…Baze also won Saturday’s sixth race aboard first-time starter Pure Madness ($36) for trainer Brian Koriner. Baze is 12-for-98 (12 percent) at the Hollywood Meet entering Sunday…Abel Cedillo, who returned to Santa Anita this week after several months in Kentucky, won Saturday’s ninth race on Sharp Ride ($16) for trainer Dean Pederson…Leader Antonio Fresu and runner-up Juan Hernandez remain two wins apart in the race for leading jockey after both failed to reach the Winner’s Circle Saturday…On-track patrons on both Thursday and Friday will receive free parking and admission plus $3 beers and $5 margaritas.
