Star-studded group of probables shaping up for the Malibu

A pair of unbeatens — Bob Baffert’s Charlatan and Steve Asmussen’s Nashville — lead a powerful group of probable starters in Santa Anita’s $300,000 Malibu Stakes (G1) at seven furlongs on opening day, Saturday, Dec. 26.

The Malibu, Santa Anita’s traditional opening day headliner and the final Grade 1 of the year for 3-year-olds, will be run for the 74th time.

Idle since taking a division of the Arkansas Derby (G1) by six lengths on May 2, Charlatan was subsequently disqualified from purse money because of a medication violation, so he officially has two wins from three starts. Including the Arkansas Derby, Charlatan, who broke his maiden and took a first condition allowance here this past winter, has won his three starts by a combined 22 lengths.

In a performance that had the racing world abuzz on Breeders’ Cup Classic Day at Keeneland Nov. 7, Nashville powered to a 3 ½-length victory in a six-furlong ungraded stakes, stopping the clock at 1:07.80 and earning a solid 102 Beyer Speed figure — two points less than Whitmore’s 104 Beyer in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint over the same surface.

Heavily favored in three starts, all sprints, Nashville, like Charlatan, is a son of champion sprinter Speightstown. A first-out maiden winner Sept. 2 at Saratoga, he has won all three of his races in gate-to-wire fashion by a combined 24 3/4 lengths.

Baffert also will be represented in the Malibu by three-time stakes winner Thousand Words, who has been idle since well beaten in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on Oct. 3.

Mark Glatt’s Grade 1 stakes-winning sprinter Collusion Illusion also is listed as probable. Although he was well beaten by Whitmore when shuffled back early in the Breeder’s Cup Sprint, he ran a much better-than-it-looked race and should give a good account of himself back on his home ground.

Nominations closed Dec. 10. Among those also listed as probable for the Malibu are John Shirreffs-trained Express Train, Michael McCarthy’s Independence Hall and Doug O’Neill’s Strongconstitution.

Opening day entries for the Malibu and five other stakes, the La Brea (G1), the American Oaks (G1), the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2), the San Antonio (G2) and the Lady of Shamrock Stakes, will be taken at Santa Anita on Monday, Dec. 21.