First Look: Barnes headlines Baffert's Malibu battalion

Santa Anita's opening day was supposed to be the day-after-Christmas treat, but Mother Nature had other plans. Rain in the forecast moved the six-stakes card to Sunday, giving horseplayers something to look forward to once the holiday dust settles.

The Grade 1 Malibu brings the storylines, with Bob Baffert saddling five of the 10 entrants. Barnes leads the charge after rebounding from a flat Gallant Bob (G2) with a commanding Perryville (G3) win in October. Cornucopian and Goal Oriented return from summer campaigns at classic distances, and Berlin Wall makes his stakes debut off a dominant score at Del Mar.

Seven graded stakes this weekend give horseplayers plenty of opportunities to cash a ticket before ringing in the new year.

Saturday

Mr. Prospector (G3), Gulfstream Park, 7 furlongs, 3-year-olds and up

The 2023 Breeders' Cup Classic winner seeks redemption after finishing second in last year's Mr. Prospector. White Abarrio dominated the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) by 6 1/4 lengths in January and followed with a 5 1/4-length romp in the Ghostzapper (G3). Three straight Grade 1 tries at Saratoga during the summer produced three fourth-place finishes, showing the 6-year-old remains competitive at the highest level.

Sunday

Malibu (G1), Santa Anita, 7 furlongs, 3-year-olds

Barnes bounced back from a fourth in the Gallant Bob (G2) with a 8 1/4-length score in the Perryville (G3) at Keeneland on Oct. 18. The Into Mischief colt won the San Vicente Stakes (G2) and placed second in the San Felipe Stakes (G2) for Bob Baffert. Cornucopian broke his maiden at Oaklawn by 5 3/4 lengths but faded to fourth in the Arkansas Derby (G1). Goal Oriented hit the board in both the Haskell Stakes (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1). Berlin Wall never has finished worse than third in five starts and makes his stakes debut off a 7 3/4-length romp at Del Mar.

La Brea (G1), Santa Anita, 7 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds

Nine months removed from competition, Five G returns following a wire-to-wire victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) on March 29 at Gulfstream Park. The George Weaver-trained daughter of Vekoma earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form. She makes her first Santa Anita appearance.

American Oaks (G1), Santa Anita, 1 1/4 miles, turf, fillies, 3-year-olds

Cliffs has finished first or second in her last three starts after a fifth-place finish at Saratoga in July. The Omaha Beach filly graduated at 1 1/16 miles at Saratoga on Aug. 3 then encountered early trouble when running second in an optional claimer Aug. 31. She rallied from off the pace to post a neck score in a Churchill allowance on Nov. 7 for trainer Cherie DeVaux and now makes her stakes debut at the Grade 1 level.

Laffit Pincay Jr. (G2), Santa Anita, 1 1/16 miles, 3-year-olds

Three consecutive graded-stakes victories have propelled Nysos to the top of this field. The 4-year-old captured the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile by a head on Nov. 1 at Del Mar after scores in the San Diego Handicap (G2) and the Triple Bend Stakes (G3). His lone defeat in seven career starts came when second by a neck in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1) on a sloppy surface behind Mindframe.

Mathis Mile (G2), Santa Anita, 1 mile, turf, 3-year-olds

A late rally propelled Tempus Volat to a neck victory in the Let It Ride at Del Mar on Oct. 30, where the Leonard Powell-trained colt posted an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. The son of Not This Time then stretched out to 1 1/8 miles in the Hollywood Derby (G1), contesting the early lead before fading to fourth.

San Gabriel (G2), Santa Anita, 1 1/8 miles, turf, 3-year-olds and up

A half-length separated Astronomer from victory in the Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) at Del Mar on Nov. 29, where he finished second to Call Sign Seven after getting boxed in through the upper stretch. The 6-year-old gelding has hit the board in three of his last four starts for trainer Simon Callaghan. He remains consistent at the graded-stakes level.