Santa Anita: Veteran Motorious makes 2025 debut in Daytona

In five starts as a 6-year-old last year, veteran gelding Motorious bagged a pair of graded stakes wins and nearly won the Breeders’ Turf Sprint. On Saturday at Santa Anita, he’ll make his seasonal bow in a competitive edition of the Grade 3, $100,000 Daytona Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

Motorious won the Green Flash (G3) in August at Del Mar and closed out the campaign with a win in the Joe Hernandez (G2) sprinting on the hillside turf course Dec. 28. Between those two wins, he was beaten by a neck in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar. Trained by Phil D’Amato for owner Anthony Fanticola, the England-bred by Muhaarar is 21: 8-5-2 with $807,617 in earnings. He’ll have regular rider Antonio Fresu aboard.

Stay Hot, a four-time stakes winner for trainer Peter Eurton, makes his 4-year-old debut. Last year, Stay Hot won the Baffle on the hillside turf course and scored in the Pasadena at a mile on turf at Santa Anita and La Jolla going 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar. A ridgling by Summer Front, Stay Hot is 13: 5-3-1 with $460,160 in earnings for owners Burns Racing, Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing, William Dan Hudock and the estate of Brereton C. Jones. He’ll be ridden by Juan Hernandez.

Also in the lineup are Lovesick Blues, Bran and Air Force Red, who filled the top three positions in last month’s Siren Lure going six furlongs on the flat turf course.

In the Silent Lure, Lovesick Blues, trained by Librado Barocio, prevailed by a half-length over Bran with Air Force Red another half-length back in third. It was the first stakes win for Lovesick Blues, a 7-year-old California-bred gelding by Grazen. In 2023, Lovesick Blues finished third in the 2023 Daytona when trained by Steve Miyadi for owner-breeder Nick Alexander. He is now owned by Mia Familia Racing Stables, Lovesick Blues is 39: 8-10-8 with $524,000 in earnings and will have Geovanni Franco aboard.

Bran, trained by John Sadler, was making his first start in almost 10 months when narrowly beaten by Lovesick Blues in the Silent Lure. He led throughout that day before being passed late grudgingly. Bran, a 7-year-old French-bred gelding by Muhaarar, won the Daytona in 2022. Owned by Hronis Racing, he is 25: 8-6-4 with $788,032 in earnings.

Air Force Red stalked the pace in the Siren Lure but could not pass the top two finishers. Prior to that effort, Air Force Red beat Lovesick Blues on the hillside turf course in the San Simeon (G3) on March 8. A 7-year-old riddling by Air Force Blue, Air Force Red is trained by Leonard Powell for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Holly Golightly. He is 26: 7-3-3 with $723,574 in earnings. Armando Ayuso, who was aboard in both the Siren Lure and San Simeon, again has the ride.