Ten Blessings, Bobby Abu Dhabi head Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita

Bob Baffert’s Ten Blessings and Peter Miller’s Bobby Abu Dhabi head Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita.  Named for legendary trainer Bruce Headley’s 2000 Breeders’ Cup Sprint Champion, the Kona Gold has attracted a competitive field of five 3-year-olds and up.

Impeccably bred but lightly raced, Hal and Patti Earnhardt’s homebred Ten Blessings will be making his third start of the year, fresh off an emphatic 1 ¾ length allowance score on March 30.

Second to one of the top older horses in the country in the Grade I, seven furlong Triple Bend Stakes on March 10, Bobby Abu Dhabi exits the best race of his career and boasts a Kona Gold best last-out Beyer Speed figure of 103.

TEN BLESSINGS

Owner:  Patti and Hal Earnhardt                                         

Trainer:  Bob Baffert

Out of the Earnhardt’s two time Eclipse Champion mare, Indian Blessing, Ten Blessings, who was the 8-5 favorite in the Grade I Malibu Stakes here in December, 2016, appears poised to annex his first graded stakes win in what will be his eighth career start.  The overwhelming 1-2 favorite in a second condition allowance going seven furlongs on March 30, this 5-year-old full horse by Smart Strike is a prospective stallion whose credentials would be greatly enhanced with a victory on Saturday.  He’ll be ridden for the third time in a row by Drayden Van Dyke and looms the horse to beat.

BOBBY ABU DHABI

A sharp second condition allowance winner going six furlongs on Dec. 31, this 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Macho Uno carved out rapid fractions of 22.20, 44.40 and 1:08.40 prior to being run down late rising superstar City of Light in the Grade I Triple Bend on March 10.  (A winner of the Grade I, seven furlong Malibu on Dec. 26, City of Light followed his Triple Bend score with a Grade I victory in the mile and one eighth Oaklawn Handicap on Saturday).  In what will be his eighth career start, Bobby Abu Dhabi will be ridden by Victor Espinoza for the third time in a row in what will be his third graded stakes assignment.

RANSOM THE MOON

Owner:  Agave Racing Stable and Jeffry Wilke                         

Trainer:  Phil D’Amato

A winner of last year’s Kona Gold as well as the Grade I, six furlong Bing Crosby Stakes three starts back on July 29, this Ontario, Canada-bred son of Malibu Moon has been idle since running a respectable fifth in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 4.  A 6-year-old full horse, he enjoyed the best race of his career in 2017, as he shipped west from Toronto to bank $447,800 in six starts for D’Amato.  While he’s facing a tough pair with solid recent form in Ten Blessings and Bobby Abu Dhabi, Ransom the Moon earned a place among North America’s top sprinters last year and should he run back to his best races, will be plenty tough at 6 ½ furlongs with regular rider Flavien Prat. 

THE GRADE II KONA GOLD STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 11                                                                                      Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

1. Blameitonthelaw—Joe Talamo—122

2. Bobby Abu Dhabi—Victor Espinoza—122

3. Ten Blessings—Drayden Van Dyke--122

4. Calculator—Kent Desormeaux—122

5. Ransom the Moon—Flavien Prat—124