Santa Anita notes: Baffert's Freedom Fighter possible for San Vicente

Although he’d be coming off a six-month layoff, Bob Baffert said Freedom Fighter is “possible” for the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes on Feb. 7, a race the two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer has won a record 10 times, including last year with Nadal and three straight years from 2011-13 with The Factor, Drill and Shakin It Up.

Baffert captured his first San Vicente in 1997 with Silver Charm, who would go on to win the Kentucky Derby.

Freedom Fighter, a Violence colt out of the City Zip mare Canadian Ballet, hasn’t run since winning his debut race Aug. 1 when he led throughout five furlongs at Del Mar to score by a head as the 1-2 favorite.

He has shown readiness for his comeback with three bullet workouts among his most recent drills, including a five furlong move in 59.60, handily from the gate Thursday. It was the fastest of 70 works at the distance.

The San Vicente is for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs.

Moonlight D’Oro ready for first stakes test

Moonlight D’Oro makes her stakes debut Feb. 6 in the $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at one mile, a major steppingstone to the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) on April 3.

The bay filly owned by MyRaceHorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC is coming off an impressive maiden win at one mile, sashaying home first by three lengths as the 9-10 favorite Dec. 13 under Flavien Prat, who will be back up in the Las Virgenes.

“We’ll see how good she is,” said Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, who won his first Las Virgenes in 1993 with Likeable Style ridden by Gary Stevens and his second in 2013 with champion Beholder under the late Garrett Gomez.

Moonlight d’Oro worked six furlongs Wednesday in a bullet 1:12.60.

Mandella said Border Town is likely Feb. 6 for the $100,000 Thunder Road (G3) at a mile on grass, while Extra Hope “is nominated in case it looks like rain and it ends up a dirt race.”

Border Town also is nominated to the $200,000 San Marcos Stakes (G2) at 1¼ miles on grass which had been scheduled to be run Saturday but was moved back a week when nearly 2½ inches of rain inundated the area Friday.

D’Amato mulls 3 for San Marcos Stakes

Phil D’Amato has three horses nominated to the San Marcos Stakes, and all are possible starters for the trainer who celebrates his 45th birthday March 11.

The three are Acclimate, Count Again and Salvator Mundi. Although they gained a week due to rain, each would be coming back on a relatively short turnaround, led by Acclimate, third as the 2-1 favorite in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic on Jan. 16. 

Count Again disappointed at even money when eased in the San Gabriel Stakes on Jan. 2, while Salvator Mundi was a creditable third in an overnight race Jan. 8.

“They’re all under consideration,” D’Amato said. Count Again won the Seabiscuit (G2) at Del Mar on Nov. 28 but was eased as the even-money favorite in San Gabriel (G2) after being just three lengths off the pace midway through the race.

“He took a funny step right at the top of the stretch and Juan (Hernandez) just kind of wrapped up on him to make sure he was all right,” D’Amato said. “Luckily, he was.

“For sure I’ll run Acclimate and Salvator Mundi. It’s a rather quick comeback for Acclimate, but I had this race in the back of my mind for him. It was hard to pass up 200 grand ($200,000 purse) against Cal-breds (in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic at a mile and an eighth), but at the same he’s coming back at a distance he prefers (in the San Marcos).

“I always had this race planned for him, if he came out of the Unusual Heat in good shape, and he really has, so we’ll look to wheel him back going a mile and a quarter.”

Salvator Mundi, a 5-year-old son of outstanding turf miler and grass sire Artie Schiller, was claimed for $40,000 in September 2019 at Keeneland and has won twice in seven starts for D’Amato since. The San Marcos would be only his third stakes race in 16 career starts.

“He’s just kind of learning where he needs to be placed to be most effective,” D’Amato said of the bay gelding who stalked the pace before weakening to finish sixth in the John Henry Turf Classic (G2) at a mile and a quarter Sept. 26.

“I think he merits another chance at a mile and quarter for sure, the way he’s come out of that race.”

This will be the 69th running of the San Marcos, won last year by LNJ Foxwoods’ United, ridden by Flavien Prat and trained by Richard Mandella.