Santa Anita: Circle of Trust, Happy Jack score graded wins

After a troubled third in the Providencia (G3) last time out, Circle of Trust earned her first stakes win with her triumph Saturday in the Grade 3, $100,000 Honeymoon Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita.

Circle of Trust (3-1) and Antonio Fresu saved ground in mid-pack before angling out for racing room on the second turn and then surging past the field in the stretch to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Sakura Blossom (28-1), the longest shot in the field, rallied from last to be second by 1 3/4 lengths over 2-1 favorite Faith Understood in third.

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Circle of Trust is trained by Phil D’Amato. She won with a final time of 1:48.40. Fractions for the race were 23.21, 47.04, 1:11.50 and 1:36.27.

For Fresu, this was his fourth stakes win at the current meet to lead all jockeys.

“This was my first time riding her, so I just tried to follow the instructions that Phil gave me,” Fresu said. “She relaxed pretty well behind the speed. She is just steady and one-paced, so at the three-eighths I started to put her on the outside to give her a clear run, and she responded so well. I think she is an improving filly. Maybe last time she was a little unlucky, but you know today I think she moved a step forward. I think she won impressively.”

Circle of Trust paid $8.20, $4.40 and $3.40. Sakura Blossom, ridden by Hector Berrios for trainer Leonard Powell, returned $20.20 and $7.60. Faith Understood, with Mike Smith up for trainer Jonathan Thomas, paid $3.60.

In the Providencia last out, when ridden by Kazushi Kimura, Circle of Trust had to check shortly after the start. She then tracked the leaders before making a late surge to be beaten by just three-quarters of a length by well-regarded Medoro. Shiloh’s Mistress, who split Circle of Trust and Medoro in second that day, also returned in the Honeymoon and finished last.

By Union Rags, Circle of Trust is 7: 2-0-1 with $119,560 in earnings for owner Jim Downey.

“She is just getting better from race to race, which I like to see,” D’Amato said. “She is a big, scopey filly, and she is still growing into herself.”

Happy Jack runs away in Triple Bend

Happy Jack served notice in the sprint division Saturday, rolling to a dominant victory in the $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) going seven furlongs on the main track.

Making his second start off a nearly 10-month layoff, Happy Jack went to the early lead under Edwin Maldonado, showed the way into the stretch and then drew off through the lane to score by 4 1/2 lengths as the 5-2 third choice.

Dr. Venkman, the 4-5 favorite who was returning from a more than seven-month layoff, finished second under Fresu by one length over Big City Lights (2-1). Tahoe Sunrise (6-1), ridden by Juan Hernández for Bob Baffert, finished last in the field of four.

Trained by Doug O’Neill for breeder-owner Calumet Farm, Happy Jack won with a time of 1:21.32. He set fractions of 23.20, 45.96 and 1:09.42.

This was the first time Maldonado had ridden Happy Jack in a race. He had been aboard multiple times during training.

“He’s been working great,” Maldonado said. “I had a lot of horse. When we passed the three-eighths pole, I smooched at him a little bit to see how much I had, and he kind of took off. That’s when I said, OK, I have a ton left. When he turned for home, and I asked him, he responded really well.”

This was the first stakes win for Happy Jack, who ran in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness as a 3-year-old in 2022. In his seasonal bow April 27 at Santa Anita, the Oxbow horse was beaten by just three-quarters of a length by top sprinter The Chosen Vron in the 6 1/2-furlong Kona Gold Stakes. He earned a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort, according to Daily Racing Form.

“We gave him some time, and he has come back as good as ever,” O’Neill said. “He’s always shown that he has talent. We ran him in the Derby, so that tells you something. Just the time off and the maturity. ... He is a one-turn, top-notch, dirt horse. We are very excited.”

Happy Jack is 13: 3-2-3 with $445,500 in earnings. With no show wagering, he paid $7.80 and $3.20. Dr. Venkman, trained by Mark Glatt, returned $2.60.