Unbridled's Note Set for Best
Corey Nakatani rides Unbridled’s Note for the 10th straight time in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Daytona Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf, one of the Steve Asmussen-trained colt’s favorite venues.
Unbridled’s Note has a 2-1-1 record from five starts over the unique downhill course.
“Anytime you get a chance to ride for a guy who’s won as many races as Steve Asmussen, you know every time he goes out there, this horse is going to give his best,” Nakatani said.
“The horse likes Santa Anita, he’s not shipping, all that good stuff, so I definitely think he’ll put his best foot forward on Saturday.”
The field for the Daytona, race eight of nine: El Commodore, Gary Stevens; Chips All In, Aaron Gryder; Unbridled’s Note, Nakatani; Handsome Mike, Mario Gutierrez; Gallant Son, Isaias Enriquez; Truest Legend, Brice Blanc; and Ain’t No Other, Rafael Bejarano.
Next Speaker was scratched.
NOBLE METAL INVADES FOR EDDIE LOGAN STAKES
Noble Metal makes his United States debut in Saturday’s $75,000 Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds at one mile on turf.
“He’s got really good form for Europe that we hope continues here tomorrow,” said Doug O’Neill, who trains the English-bred son of With Approval for the Great Friends Stable, Robert Cseplo and Steve Keh.
“Raffy (Rafael Bejarano, who rides in the Eddie Logan) worked him Monday (four furlongs on turf in 50.60) and they got along great, so we’re excited about his debut for us.”
The Eddie Logan is named for the indefatigable shoeshine man who worked at Santa Anita every day since it opened on Dec. 25, 1934, before he died at 98 on Jan. 31, 2009.
The field for the Eddie Logan, which goes as the fourth race: Lucky Views, Joe Talamo; Enterprising, Gary Stevens; Craftsman, Victor Espinoza; Flagman, Patrick Valenzuela; Morally Bankrupt, Brice Blanc; Noble Metal, Bejarano; My Secret Affair, Mike Smith; and Royal Banker, Corey Nakatani.