Santa Anita: Awesome Again headlines stakes-laden Saturday card
In what appears to be a wide-open affair, multiple Grade 1 winner Defunded rates top billing among a field of nine 3-year-olds and up going a mile and one eighth as he defends his title in Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita.
Named for the 1998 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, the Awesome Again is a Breeders’ Cup “Win & You’re In” Challenge Race Qualifier, with the winner earning a fees-paid berth into the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
A winner of this year’s Californian (G2) and Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) three and four starts back on May 29 and April 22, respectively, Defunded has five wins from nine starts at Santa Anita. Despite the fact he was a well beaten sixth by stablemate Arabian Knight in the Pacific Classic (G1) on Sept. 2, he rates a huge chance as he returns home to Santa Anita.
Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Defunded is best served when he’s on the lead or pressing it early. Ridden by Juan Hernandez in his last five starts, he’ll be handled on Saturday by Edwin Maldonado, who was aboard for last year’s Awesome Again Win as well as his next start, a victory in the Native Diver (G3) at Del Mar on Nov. 27, 2022.
A 5-year-old gelding by Dialed In from the Touch Gold mare Wind Caper, Defunded is 19: 7-4-2 overall with earnings of $1,606,600.
Doug O’Neill’s California-bred Slow Down Andy, a solid third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths in the Pacific Classic, rates a huge chance in what will be his fourth start of the year. Owned and bred by Reddam Racing, Slow Down Andy is a 4-year-old colt by Nyquist who has kept top company throughout his career.
Out of the Square Eddie mare Edwina E, Slow Down Andy’s biggest performance to date came four starts back when he finished third, beaten 1 3/4 lengths by eventual Eclipse Champion Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 5, 2022 at Keeneland, earning an Awesome Again best 103 Beyer Speed Figure.
Slow Down Andy, who will again be ridden by Mario Gutierrez, was third in last year’s Awesome Again and is 13: 4-4-3 overall with earnings of $1,096,600.
A winner of the Preakness Stakes three starts back on May 20, Baffert’s National Treasure has been well beaten by top sophomore Arcangelo in his last two starts, the Travers (G1) on Aug. 26 and the Grade I Belmont Stakes June 10 and will be facing older horses for the first time.
Ridden in all of his previous eight starts by John Velazquez, naturally quick National Treasure, a 3-year-old colt by Quality Road out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Treasure will be ridden by for the first time by Juan Hernandez.
Owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, et al, National Treasure is 8: 2-1-2 overall with earnings of $1,415,000.
2023 Awesome Again G1
Trainer Mark Glatt’s 5-year-old Dr. Schivel will hope to have his running shoes on Saturday as he takes on top sophomore sprinter Arabian Lion and seven others at six furlongs in the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
A Grade 1 winner at 2 and again against older at 3, Dr. Schivel was a desperate second in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. He was also ultra impressive off a 10-month layoff when making his 5-year-old debut here three starts back on May 13. Off as the 1-2 favorite in a six furlong classified allowance, he was in control throughout and drew off to win by 4 1/4 lengths, earning a career-top 105 Beyer Speed Figure.
Subsequently well beaten in the Grade I Metropolitan Mile Handicap at Belmont Park June 10, Dr. Schivel was most recently third, beaten a neck by top sprinter The Chosen Vron in the Bing Crosby (G1) on July 29 at Del Mar as the 9-5 favorite.
A Kentucky-bred bay horse by Violence out of the Mining for Money mare Lil Nugget, Dr. Schivel has three wins from five starts at Santa Anita and will be ridden back by Juan Hernandez, who was also up for his classified allowance score May 13.
Owned by Red Baron’s Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, Dr. Schivel is 13: 6-2-3 overall with earnings of $1,207,100.
A winner of the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) going seven furlongs at Belmont Park two starts back, Bob Baffert’s Arabian Lion was most recently third, beaten 3 1/4 lengths over a muddy track going seven panels at Saratoga on Aug. 26 in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1).
An impressive first-out six furlong maiden winner here on Oct. 9 of last year, Arabian Lion, a chestnut colt by Justify out of the Distorted Humor mare Unbound, will be facing older horses for the first time on Saturday.
Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Arabian Lion will be ridden for the first time by Edwin Maldonado as he bids for his third stakes victory and his fourth win from nine overall starts.
2023 Santa Anita Sprint Championship G2
A much-troubled fifth in his most recent start, Twist could be the horse to beat in a field of nine 3-year-olds and up in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita.
Trained by John Sadler and owned by Hronis Racing, Twist will be making his fourth stateside start and seeking his first North American stakes victory. He was fifth, beaten 2 1/2 lengths following significant traffic trouble turning for home in the Del Mar Mile (G2) on the turf on Sept. 2. A convincing 1 3/4 lengths second condition allowance winner going 1 1/8 miles on turf two starts back July 21 at Del Mar, Twist will be reunited with Hector Berrios, who did not ride him in his most recent outing.
A sharp second going a mile on turf in his U.S. debut here on June 4, Twist, a 6-year-old gelding, has earnings of $197,590 from an overall race record of 17: 6-5-1.
Phil D’Amato’s Irish-bred Hong Kong Harry, a three-time graded stakes winner who has been idle since May 29, will no doubt garner plenty of pari-mutuel attention and could go favored off the bench. A 6-year-old gelding, diminutive Hong Kong Harry, at barely 15 hands and maybe 900 pounds, has the heart of a lion and a closing kick to match.
Dating back to his U.S. debut going a mile and one eighth on turf March 6, “Harry” won his first three starts and five out of his first six with D’Amato—three of which came in graded stakes. With Juan Hernandez taking over for the first time, Hong Kong Harry would relish a fast pace to run at and figures to be rolling late in what will be his 10th stateside engagement.
Owned by Scott Anastasi, Jimmy Ukegawa and Tony Valazza, Hong Kong Harry is 16-9-2-2 overall with earnings of $655,097.
2023 City of Hope Mile G2
Lane Way looms large in Eddie D
Lane Way, a restricted stakes winner down Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course, heads a field of 11 older horses going about 6 ½ furlongs in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes.
Renamed in honor of retired all-time great Hall of Fame jockey Eddie Delahoussaye in 2012, the Eddie D was run as the Morvich Stakes from 1974 through 2011.
Lane Way, second in last year’s Eddie D, has two wins from as many seconds over the course and rates top billing with regular rider Mike Smith back aboard. The 6-year-old gelding, owned by MyRacehorse and trained by Richard Mandella, was a downhill winner of the Clockers’ Corner Stakes in his seasonal debut two starts back on Jan. 29, Lane Way, a son of Into Mischief, will be making his third start of the year on Saturday.
With an overall mark of 18: 4-6-5, Lane Way, who was second in the Joe Hernandez (G2) coming down the hill three starts back on Dec. 31, 2022, has earnings of $370,560 and will be seeking his second stakes victory.
Talented Irish-bred Balnikhov, a two-time graded stakes winner routing on turf, will try the hillside course for the first time on Saturday as he sprints for the first time in what will be his 13th North American start for Phil D’Amato.
A huge second, beaten three quarters of a length by stablemate Gold Phoenix going a mile and one eighth on turf two starts back in the Eddie Read (G2) on July 30 at Del Mar, Balnikhov was most recently beaten four lengths while finishing eighth in the Del Mar Handicap (G2) on Sept. 2.
Geovanni Franco takes over in the saddle for the first time on the 4-year-old gelding.
Balnikhov, who is owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables and Old Bones Racing, is 20: 6-5-2 overall with earnings of $639,843.