Gift Box Looks to Close Out Year Strong in San Antonio

Hronis Racing's Gift Box will make one last attempt to find the winner's circle when he faces a field of seven in the $200,000 San Antonio Stakes (G2) Dec. 28 at Santa Anita Park. 

The 6-year-old son of Twirling Candy  will be the oldest runner competing in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile test. Unraced since he finished fourth in the June 15 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs, Gift Box earned his first graded stakes win in April when he bested McKinzie by a nose during a thrilling stretch duel to take the Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino (G1) at Santa Anita.

The John Sadler trainee finished second one start later in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1) before his Stephen Foster effort. Gift Box will break from post 2 under regular rider Joel Rosario. 

Joining Gift Box in the field will be Eclipse Thoroughbred Partner, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable's Gray Magician, who enters off an allowance optional claiming win Oct. 11 at Keeneland.

Trained by Peter Miller, the 3-year-old Graydar  colt has won or placed in six of nine starts this year. In the spring he finished second in the UAE Derby Sponsored By Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) before contesting the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Later in the summer he again finished runner up in the Indiana Derby (G3) at Indiana Grand Race Course and Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) at Parx Racing. 

Gray Magician's only stakes win came between his grade 3 placings in the Ellis Park Derby Presented by Kruckemeyer and Cohn Jewelry at Ellis Park. He will partner with Javier Castellano and drew the rail. 

C R K Stable's Midcourt will seek to add a fifth consecutive win to his growing tally. Trained by John Shirreffs, the 3-year-old Midnight Lute  gelding broke his maiden June 2 at Santa Anita and has progressed steadily since. He picked up black type in the Oct. 27 Comma to the Top Stakes at the Southern California track before running back less than a month later to win the Nov. 23 Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar by 5 3/4 lengths in impressive gate-to-wire fashion. 

Victor Espinoza will have the call on Midcourt from post 6. Completing the field are grade 3-placed California-bred King Abner; grade 1-placed Draft Pick; last out Berkeley Handicap (G3) winner Mugaritz, who has six consecutive victories; and stakes winner Fight On. 

Entries: San Antonio S. (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, December 28, 2019, Race 5

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 1:08 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Gray Magician (KY)	Javier Castellano	119	Peter Miller	4/1
2	2Gift Box (KY)	Joel Rosario	123	John W. Sadler	9/5
3	3King Abner (CA)	Tyler Baze	121	Philip D'Amato	10/1
4	4Draft Pick (KY)	Joseph Talamo	121	Peter Eurton	9/2
5	5Mugaritz (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	123	Jonathan Wong	10/1
6	6Midcourt (KY)	Victor Espinoza	123	John A. Shirreffs	2/1
7	7Fight On (KY)	Abel Cedillo	121	Doug F. O'Neill	20/1