Raging Whiskey among three entered for red-hot O'Neill in Sunny Slope

A non-factor on turf in his most recent start, Raging Whiskey heads a three-horse contingent trained by Doug O’Neill as he returns to the main track and 6 ½ furlongs in Sunday’s $70,000 Sunny Slope Stakes at Santa Anita, a race that has attracted five juvenile colts.

O'Neill has saddled 17 winners and is hitting at a 30% clip through the first 13 days of the current Santa Anita meet.  

Overmatched in three consecutive Grade 1 stakes, O’Neill’s Fore Left cuts back in distance from the 1 1/16 miles Grade I American Pharoah, while his Strongconstitution, a first out maiden winner on grass, will hope for a similar performance on the main track. A well fancied first-out maiden winner at Los Alamitos Sept. 6, Bob Baffert’s Mo Hawk faces winners for the first time and rates a huge chance as well.

Owner:  Pappas Horse Racing Corp. and Charles Bartlett

Trainer:  Doug O’Neill

A lights out eight length winner of the restricted Capote Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos two starts back on Sept. 21, this Maryland-bred colt by Bourbon Courage was never a factor in the five furlong turf Speakeasy Stakes here on Oct. 6. A respectable third five starts back in the Grade III, six furlong Sanford Stakes at Saratoga July 13, Raging Whiskey has the talent and seasoning to merit top billing in the Sunny Slope.

Owner:  Reddam Racing LLC

Trainer:  Doug O’Neill

Beaten double digits in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity Sept. 2 and in the Grade I American Pharoah Sept. 27, Fore Left’s best performance came three starts back, when he was third, beaten 1 ½ lengths in the Grade II Best Pal Stakes going six furlongs on Aug. 10.  A first-out maiden winner going 4 ½ furlongs here May 19, he then shipped to Belmont Park and won the ungraded Tremont Lane Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs on June 7.  With a return to sprinting and a big drop in class, Fore Left, a Kentucky-bred son of Twirling Candy, will be bidding for his third win in his sixth start.

Owner:  SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable LLC & partners

Trainer:  Bob Baffert

A $925,000 Keeneland September yearling, Mo Hawk cruised to a three length win going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Sept. 6 as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite in a field of five.  By Uncle Mo, out of the Any Given Saturday mare Princess Arabella, Mo Hawk has pedigree in his corner and Baffert will no doubt try to build upon his maiden win with a big performance on Sunday.

Owner:  Roadrunner Racing and Sayjay Racing LLC

Trainer:  Doug O’Neill

By the Tapit stallion Constitution, he brought $220,000 at the Ocala Breeders April 2-year-old in Training Sale. Off as the 5-2 favorite in his debut going five furlongs on turf Aug. 23 at Del Mar, Strongconstitution ran to the betting, as prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths in a game effort. Idle since, he’ll hope to replicate his performance on dirt in what will be his second start.