Speightstown Sons Nashville, Charlatan Meet in Malibu

The stage is set for a Speightstown  showdown in the Runhappy Malibu Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26.

Two brilliant 3-year-olds by the 22-year-old stallion, Nashville and Charlatan, first across the wire in all six of their combined starts, head a field of six for the $300,000 dash. The seven-furlong race, which also drew graded stakes winners Collusion Illusion, Thousand Words, and Independence Hall, is one of three top-level stakes on opening day of the winter/spring meet at Santa Anita that also includes the La Brea Stakes (G1) and American Oaks (G1T). 

Though the Malibu can't match those two races in depth, having drawn just six runners, its select field is loaded with talent—and speed. Nashville and Charlatan have never trailed at any call in their past performances except at the start. Should the duo engage one another from the onset, leading to a quick pace, that could give others in the race a chance, such as Collusion Illusion, a rallying winner of the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1), or Independence Hall, 4-for-4 when racing around one turn. 

"Circumstances have put some extremely talented 3-year-olds together," said Nashville's trainer, Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen.

No horse has come within 3 1/2 lengths of beating China Horse Club and WinStar Farm's Nashville in his three-race career. After an 11 1/2-length debut win at Saratoga Race Course Sept. 2, he was a 9 3/4-length winner over allowance company Oct. 10 at Keeneland. Off the strength of those two races, his connections considered running him in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1), only to eventually draw up alternative plans.

He instead resurfaced in the Perryville Stakes Nov. 7 on the Breeders' Cup Saturday undercard, where he romped by 3 1/2 lengths. Racing over a quick surface, he set a six-furlong track record in 1:07.89, running .72 of a second faster than Whitmore's winning time in the Sprint hours later.

Video: Perryville S. (BT)

"Part of the thinking of running him in the Perryville instead of the Breeders' Cup Sprint was the opportunity to run in the Malibu and here we are," said Asmussen. 

Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. will again be aboard.

Asmussen seeks his first Malibu after hitting the board with Rothko, second in 2011, and Unbridled's Note, third in 2012. He has been successful with other shippers to California, most often running horses on the West Coast during the Breeders' Cup. He won the 2019 Sprint at Santa Anita with Mitole , the 2014 Longines Breeder's Cup Distaff (G1) with Untapable, and 2012 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with Tapizar .

Charlatan has also crossed the finish line on top in all three of his starts, though he was disqualified from his most recent start in a division of the May 2 Arkansas Derby (G1) after testing positive for the local anesthetic lidocaine, specifically 3-hydroxylidocaine. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert believes his horse was accidentally exposed as a result of one of his employees wearing a pain patch that contained lidocaine.

So the Malibu presents a make-up opportunity for a grade 1, a race coveted for its prestige and stallion-making importance. 

Charlatan, owned by SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrich III, John Fielding, and Golconda Stables, makes his first start since May after recovering from a minor ankle injury.

"I think he's ready to go seven-eighths but is he ready to go seven-eighths against the likes of Nashville? We'll find out. That's why we have these races," Baffert said. "I believe he'll run well. He's the type of horse who runs better in the afternoon than the morning. That's why he surprised me first time out. I didn't realize he was so brilliant until he ran the first time."

Baffert's other starter is Thousand Words, a three-time stakes-winning son of Pioneerof the Nile for Albaugh Family Stables and Spendthrift Farm. He returns after setting the pace and weakening to eighth in the Preakness Stakes (G1) Oct. 3 but cutting back from routes, he figures to play more of an off-the-pace role.

"He's been working well and there's a lot of speed in the race. You never know what's going to happen," Baffert said.

Baffert is a three-time winner of the Malibu, taking the race with McKinzie  (2018), Shakin It Up  (2013), and The Factor  (2011).

The field is completed by longshot Express Train, who returns to dirt after running eighth on the grass in the Oct. 18 Twilight Derby (G2T). In September at Santa Anita, he ran second on dirt in an allowance optional claiming race behind Extra Hope, who returned to win the Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.

Mike Smith will be aboard Charlatan for Baffert and John Velazquez has the mount on Thousand Words.

The Malibu has been won by many quality 3-year-olds; top recent winners include Omaha Beach  (2019), City of Light  (2017), and Mind Your Biscuits (2016).

Additional reporting from Bob Ehalt

Entries: RUNHAPPY Malibu S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, December 26, 2020, Race 10

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $300,000
• 3 yo
• 3:51 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Collusion Illusion (FL)	Flavien Prat	124	Mark Glatt	8/1
2	2Thousand Words (FL)	John R. Velazquez	122	Bob Baffert	8/1
3	3Nashville (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	120	Steven M. Asmussen	6/5
4	4Charlatan (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	Bob Baffert	9/5
5	5Express Train (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	John A. Shirreffs	15/1
6	6Independence Hall (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Michael W. McCarthy	4/1