Santa Anita: Midnight Mammoth, Getaway Car lead San Pascual

Veteran graded-stakes winner Midnight Mammoth and Getaway Car, winner of last year’s Sunland Derby for trainer Bob Baffert, are among an evenly matched field of older horses set to go 1 1/8 miles in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita.

Midnight Mammoth, a 7-year-old gelding trained by Craig Dollase, is coming off a career-best 99 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, earned in a high-level allowance win going seven furlongs on Jan. 16 at Santa Anita. It was his first start since August when finishing off the board in the Pacific Classic (G1). Owned by Jeffrey Sengara, Midnight Mammoth is 38 :9-5-7 with $460,380 in earnings. He’ll have regular rider Armando Ayuso in the irons.

Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.

Getaway Car won last year’s Sunland Derby in February and then finished fourth as the odds-on favorite in the Virginia Derby a month later at Colonial Downs. He returned after more than eight months on the sidelines Nov. 30 at Del Mar and was off the board in an allowance going 6 1/2 furlongs. The winner that day, Bartholdy, also is in the San Pasqual. Getaway Car is owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables and partners. The 4-year-old colt by Curlin will have Juan Hernandez aboard.

Pony Express returns for trainer John Sadler after a three-month layoff. When last seen Nov. 22 at Santa Anita, Pony Express finished second in the one-mile Tokyo City Cup by three-quarters of a length. A 5-year-old horse by Gun Runner, Pony Express is owned by By Talla Racing, Three Chimneys Farm and West Point Thoroughbreds. Jockey Hector Berrios has the call.

Bartholdy most recently finished third behind Nysos and Nevada Breach in the Laffit Pincay Jr. (G2) on opening day Dec. 28. He’s seeking a first stakes win for trainer and co-owner Steve Knapp. Owned by John R. Haagsma, Knapp and John Robert Vanderdussen, Bartholdy is 20: 4-4-7 with $251,720 in earnings. He’ll have regular rider Tyler Baze aboard.

Westwood most recently finished third in the Native Diver (G3) at Del Mar behind Nevada Beach and British Isles, the latter of whom on Saturday earned a minor award in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Westwood is seeking a first stakes win for trainer John Shirreffs and owner C R K Stable. He’ll be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time.