Santa Anita undercard: Frank E. Kilroe Mile, Buena Vista previews

Phil D’Amato’s France-bred Easter, a recent winner of two Grade 2 stakes, seeks his first Grade 1 victory as he leads an outstanding field of nine older horses on turf in Sunday’s $300,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita.

Originally scheduled for Saturday, the Kilroe, along with the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), the San Felipe (G2) and the Buena Vista Stakes (G2), was been moved to Sunday because of a wet weather forecast on Saturday.

A 6-year-old gelding who made his first eight starts in France, Easter was transferred to Graham Motion in the spring of 2022 and was based primarily in New York through August of last year. In his first start for D’Amato, Easter rallied like a big-time turf horse to take Del Mar’s Seabiscuit Handicap (G2) at 1 1/16 miles on turf two starts back on Nov. 25.

In a tremendous effort, he bested highly regarded stablemate Hong Kong Harry by a half-length in the Seabiscuit, earning a solid 98 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form. Most recently seen at Santa Anita on opening day, Dec. 26, Easter rallied as the 3-5 favorite to take the 1 1/8-mile San Gabriel Stakes (G2) by 1 1/4 lengths while earning a 96 Beyer.

Although he’ll be facing a field laden with legitimate contenders, Easter, who has five wins from 10 tries at one mile on turf, should have a fast pace to exploit on Sunday and looms the horse to beat as he shoots for his fourth overall stakes win in a row.

Owned by Madaket Stables, Easter, who won three of his nine starts with Motion, is 19: 7-3-3 lifetime with earnings of $567,910.

Like Easter, Bob Baffert’s Du Jour, second in last year’s Kilroe, does his best running from off the pace, and he should have plenty of to run at on Sunday. A scintillating 2 ¼-length winner of the Del Mar Mile (G2) two starts back on Sept. 2, Du Jour, although 10th, was beaten by only 3 1/2 lengths in his most recent start, the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 4.

A 6-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Temple City, Du Jour, who earned a career-high 102 Beyer in the Del Mar Mile, has four wins and three second from 10 lifetime tries at one mile on turf.

Owned by Baffert’s wife Natalie and Debbi Lanni, Du Jour, who will be ridden for the third time in a row by Flavien Prat, is easily the leading money earner in the Kilroe field with $938,220 from an overall mark of 16: 5-3-2.

A certifiable deep closer, Irideo, an 8-year-old Argentina-bred gelding, flew from last to get up by a nose going about 6 1/2 furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in the restricted Clockers’ Corner Stakes on Jan. 28 and will hope to be in high gear late as he stretches out in the Kilroe.

Trained by Marcelo Polanco, Irideo will be ridden back by fellow Argentinian Jeremy Laprida, who tired his veteran hand for the first time in the Clockers’ Corner.

A Group 1 stakes winner at age 4 in his native Argentina, Irideo has two restricted turf-stakes wins from 17 Southern California starts for Polanco. Owned by his breeder, Pozo de Luna, Irideo is 23: 6-5-0 with earnings of $394,344.

Richard Mandella’s War Front gelding Goliad, never better at age 7, comes off a stirring gate to wire score at one mile on turf in the Thunder Road (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 3 and seeks his third consecutive win at the trip with regular rider Kazushi Kimura.

In front by about 12 lengths with a quarter-mile to run in the Thunder Road, Goliad is not likely to be granted such an insurmountable early advantage in the Kilroe. But he nonetheless is in top form and rates a big look as he faces much tougher company.

Bred in Kentucky by Ramona Bass and owned by Ramona and Perry R. Bass II, Goliad is a stone miler, with a 12: 4-3-1 mile turf resume.

Bellabel takes on 10 fillies and mares in Buena Vista

A sharp recent winner over the course, Phil D’Amato’s 5-year-old Ireland-bred Bellabel leads a wide-open field of 11 older fillies and mares in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes at one mile over the Santa Anita turf.

In her first start in 14 1/2 months, Bellabel, off as the 9-5 favorite among a field of seven fillies and mares, went to the front and never looked back going one mile on turf in the Megahertz (G3) at Santa Anita on Feb. 3 and figures tough right back with Flavien Prat aboard.

A winner of four of her six starts at one mile on grass, Belllabel has three stakes wins from her five starts, all stakes, since joining D’Amato’s stable more than two years ago. Owned by Agave Racing Stable, CYBT, Michael Nentwig, et al, Bellabel, who had one win from five starts in Ireland, is 10: 4-2-2 overall with earnings of $364,810.

Trained by Jonathan Thomas, Mouffy comes off a troubled second, beaten one length by Bellabel, in the Megahertz and rates a huge chance when ridden by Frankie Dettori for the first time on Sunday.

An ungraded stakes winner at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Ellis Park four starts back on Aug. 27, Mouffy, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Uncle Mo out of the Smart Strike mare Truly Together, would appear to be comfortable with a stalking-type trip. And who better to draw up a successful game plan than the legendary Dettori?

Owned by Augustin Stables, Mouffy has a record of 9: 4-3-0 with earnings of $257,451.

Sixth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Bellabel in the Megahertz, Harris Farms’ homebred Closing Remarks is capable of better and will try to turn the tables on the top pair with Juan Hernandez back to ride. Trained by Carla Gaines, the 6-year-old mare by Vronsky out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove enjoyed her best year in 2023, winning four of her 10 graded-stakes engagements while banking $601,000.

With a 13: 3-2-3 mark at one mile on turf, a fast pace would certainly be welcomed by the Closing Remarks camp as she bids for her sixth career stakes win. With an overall race record of 26: 7-5-4, she has earnings of $1,000,320.

A close third going a 1 1/16 miles versus sophomore fillies in the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Invitational Turf (G2) on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park, Richard Mandella’s Ruby Nell was a gate-to-wire winner at one mile on turf two starts back in Santa Anita’s ungraded Lady of Shamrock on Dec. 31 at odds of 1-10, and she took the Autumn Miss here (G3) in similar fashion by 3 1/4 lengths four starts back on Nov. 5.

Thus a two-time stakes winner at one mile on grass, Ruby Nell will be reunited with front-running ace Edwin Maldonado and rates a legitimate look as she faces tougher older company.

Owned by Spendthrift Farm, Ruby Nell, a 4-year-old filly by Bolt d’Oro purchased for $1.2 million out of a 2-year-old in training sale, is now 11: 5-2-2 overall with earnings of $371,520.