Santa Anita: Sadler has favorite in closing day Cinema Stakes
Fresh off a front-running allowance win on turf, Final Boss returns to the stakes ranks in the $100,000 Cinema Stakes for 3-year-olds on Sunday at Santa Anita. He is the 8-5 favorite on the morning line in 1 1/8-mile turf race on closing day of the spring meet.
Trained by John Sadler, Final Boss scored by 1 ¼ lengths in the allowance win under Juan Hernandez May 12 at Santa Anita. This will be his third attempt at a stakes win. Most recently on Feb. 17, the American Pharoah colt tried the Baffle Stakes sprinting on the hillside turf course and finished fourth.
Final Boss will again have Hernandez in the irons. He is 6: 2-1-0 with $91,500 in earnings for owners Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds.
Trainer Michael McCarthy has three entered including stakes-placed Blue Eyed George, the 5-2 second choice on the morning line. He makes his first start at Santa Anita after previously being based with McCarthy’s string in Kentucky. Most recently, the Flameaway colt finished 11th at 42-1 in the GII American Turf at 1 1/16 miles on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4.
Blue Eyed George, who is 7: 2-1-2 with $116,775 in earnings for owner BG Stable, will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli in his local unveiling.
McCarthy’s other key runner is Gold Foot, the 3-1 co-third choice on the morning line. The Goldencents gelding has won two straight, both at 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita’s turf course. He is taking a big step up in class. Gold Foot first won a starter/optional claimer on April 27 then came back to win a straight starter allowance from off the pace May 26.
Gold Foot is 8: 3-1-0 with $70,000 in earnings for owner Stepside Farm LLC. He will be ridden by Kyle Frey, who was aboard for his two most recent victories.
British Isles makes his stakes debut for trainer Richard Baltas. He is also 3-1 on the morning line. British Isles went winless in five starts with trainer Bob Baffert to start his career before being transferred to Baltas following a private sale. In his second start for Baltas May 4 at Santa Anita, the Justify colt graduated going 1 1/8 miles on turf.
British Isles, who is 7: 1-2-0 with $64,280 in earnings, will have Antonio Fresu aboard. He is owned by Baltas, Slam Dunk Racing and Jerry McClanahan.