Kobe's Back Works for San Carlos
Kobe’s Back, on the winning track again after wearing blinkers to capture the Palos Verdes Stakes on Feb. 7, worked four furlongs on Santa Anita’s fast main track Friday in 47.20 for Peter Eurton under regular rider Gary Stevens.
Kobe’s Back is headed for the Grade II San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on March 12. Also working for the San Carlos Friday was Salutos Amigos for trainer David Jacobson. Salutos Amigos was second in the Palos Verdes, beaten only a half-length.
Probable for the San Carlos: Calculator, Flavien Prat; Kobe’s Back, Gary Stevens; Outside Nashville, Martin Garcia; Salutos Amigos, Mike Smith; San Onofre, no rider; and2015 San Carlos winner Wild Dude, Rafael Bejarano.
MOR SPIRIT HEADS SAN FELIPE WORKERS TOMORROW
Mor Spirit, Bob Baffert’s primary Triple Crown contender, is scheduled to work Saturday at a time and distance the trainer did not reveal for the San Felipe Stakes on March 12.
Baffert said Martin Garcia would be aboard for the workout.
Also scheduled to breeze Saturday for the Grade II San Felipe at 1 1/16 miles are undefeated California-bred Smokey Image for Carla Gaines, Robert B. Lewis Stakes runner-up Uncle Lino, five furlongs at 6:45 under regular rider Fernando Perez for trainer Gary Sherlock, and Danzing Candy for trainer Cliff Sise Jr.
Probable for the San Felipe: Danzing Candy, Exaggerator, Mor Spirit, Smokey Imageand Uncle Lino.
OM ‘READY TO ROLL’ IN FRANK E. KILROE MILE
Multiple graded stakes winner Om is at the ready for the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turfMarch 12.
“He just breezed two days ago, so we’re all set in that regard,” trainer Dan Hendricks said. “He got his work in and we’ll get a good strong gallop in Wednesday or Thursday. He’s doing good and we’re ready to roll.”
Om was third behind Bolo and Obviously in the Grade II Arcadia Mile on grass Feb. 13, but won three of his previous four starts before that.
Probable for the Kilroe: Bal a Bali, Flavien Prat; De Treville, Bolo, Mike Smith; Kenjisstorm, Edwin Maldonado; Ocho Ocho Ocho, no rider; Om, Gary Stevens; and What a View, Kent Desormeaux.
UNUSUAL HEAT: CALIFORNIA’S $50 MILLION MAN
Perennial California leading sire Unusual Heat has passed the $50 million mark in cumulative progeny earnings, becoming the first sire in the history of California breeding to achieve this while standing his entire career in the Golden State.
Unusual Heat has sired 18 crops, and his 16th crop of two year olds will hit race tracks this year. As of Thursday, he boasted $50,158,241 in earnings.
It was only fitting that the race putting Unusual Heat over the milestone was the stirring stretch drive victory by his son Boozer in the Sensational Star Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 27.
Unusual Heat is the all-time leading sire in California in total progeny earnings, California-bred earnings and career progeny turf earnings. He set the all-time single-season California record for progeny earnings in 2008 with over $5.8 million and was again the California earnings champion for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, becoming the leading sire in California for an unprecedented six consecutive seasons in the modern era.
In 2015 Unusual Heat achieved an unmatched ninth consecutive season of over $3 million in progeny earnings and also won his 12th consecutive California-bred North American Turf earnings championship. He has sired one Eclipse Award winner and 15 California champions, including 2015 two-year-old filly champion Pacific Heat.
Unusual Heat has also started to make his mark as a broodmare sire, adding eight new stakes winners since 2015, including Grade I winners Masochistic and Spanish Queen.
Unusual Heat is 26 years old and currently standing his 19th season at stud in California and his sixth at Harris Farms in Coalinga, CA.
For more information about Unusual Heat, contact Harris Auerbach atharris@unusualheat.com or go to www.unusualheat.com .
FINISH LINES: Congrats to seven-pound apprentice rider Bruno Panicucci on winning his first race at Santa Anita yesterday aboard Icona for trainer Phil D’Amato. “He earned it,” D’Amato said. “He works hard.” Icona won by a length-and-a-half and paid $7.60 as the second choice. Panicucci now has eight career wins, his first four coming in his native France . . . Retired Hall of Fame riding great Laffit Pincay Jr. was a visitor to Clockers’ Corner Friday, looking fit enough to ride again. “I visited my native country of Panama a few times, I’ve also spent some time with my mother, Rosario, who is 93 and in an assisted living facility, and I recently returned from a Jockey and Jeans event in Ft. Lauderdale benefiting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund,” said Pincay, who turned 69 last Dec. 26 and retired in 2003 . . . Rosie Ybarra celebrates her 64th birthday next Thursday, March 10. “I came to Santa Anita 37 years ago for the Strub Stakes and never left,” said the popular grub and grog hostess at Clockers’ Corner. “I’ve been at Clockers’ Corner now for 20 years.”
Source: Santa Anita Park