Baffert, D'Amato Runners Vie in Santa Anita Handicap

How much does experience count in winning the historic Santa Anita Handicap (G1)? While handicappers ponder the recent form of the 11 runners entered, the trainers' records in the 1 1/4-mile event that dates back to 1935 could also play a role.

As with most Southern California stakes these days, first look at Bob Baffert. He brings possible favorite Defunded  and up-and-comer Hopper  to the Big 'Cap, as well as the best record in the race of all the conditioners. Baffert has won the race five times, including as the only trainer ever to score three times with the same horse after Game On Dude  won in 2011, 2013, and 2014.

But John Sadler, trainer of Heywoods Beach , brings recency. He earned three consecutive victories in 2018 (Accelerate  ), 2019 (Gift Box  ), and 2020 (Combatant ). And John Shirreffs, trainer of Parnelli , is the defending champ, having saddled Express Train  last year.

But ignore newbies at your peril. Though Phil D'Amato has yet to win a Big 'Cap, he regularly soars to the top or near the top of the trainer standings and has entered Newgrange , who began in Baffert's barn under different ownership. Michael McCarthy and Ed Moger Jr. are other California conditioners who can be dangerous, and the field also includes a couple of shippers, one from the powerful Brad Cox stable.

Defunded and Newgrange have current form that could land either in the role of favorite. Defunded, owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, took back-to-back Southern California graded events in the Oct. 1 Awesome Again Stakes (G1) and Nov. 27 Native Diver Stakes (G3) before running second to Art Collector  in the Jan. 28 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park. Newgrange, owned by David Bernsen, Little Red Feather Racing, and Rockingham Ranch, most recently captured the Jan. 28 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.

For D'Amato, who grew up in Southern California as a lifelong racing fan, a victory in the race would be a defining moment.

"It would be great," he said. "This is a race I've always watched over the years. To compete in it with a horse I think has a legitimate chance makes it all the better."

Southern California's recent wintry weather resulted in several days of rain at Santa Anita, interrupting everyone's training schedule. Four-year-old Newgrange worked a half-mile in :49 Feb. 23.

"It was a nice, easy drill before the rain," D'Amato said. "As for the weather, I look at it this way: It's affecting us all the same way. We're all in the same situation."

Newgrange, who drew post 3, gets the services of European champion jockey Frankie Dettori, who has been performing so well at Santa Anita this season that he is second in the standings, behind only Juan Hernandez.

For the first time, Hernandez will ride Defunded, who drew post 5. East Coast-based Irad Ortiz Jr. piloted Defunded in the Pegasus World Cup. Five-year-old Defunded is one of three millionaires in the Big 'Cap field, the other two also entered off of runs in the Pegasus in Stilleto Boy , who finished third, and Proxy , who finished fifth.

Those preferring the "other Baffert" angle might look at Hopper, a 4-year-old colt owned by Lanni Bloodstock, Madaket Stables, and SF Racing. Winner of the June 11 Affirmed Stakes (G3) in only his third start, Hopper was then away from the races until the San Pasqual. Hopper finished second by a length to Newgrange after leading through most of that 1 1/8-mile race.

Mike Smith will ride Hopper for the first time, when he breaks from post 8. Smith piloted Game On Dude in the gelding's 2013 and 2014 victories, and the following year he won aboard Shared Belief .

Victor Espinoza has also ridden three Santa Anita Handicap winners. In 2004, Espinoza triumphed on Southern Image  for Mike Machowsky, and he rode Accelerate in 2018 for Sadler. Espinoza and Shirreffs collaborated last year on Express Train, and they are partnering again on Parnelli, who drew post 2.

Shirreffs trains 5-year-old Parnelli for Lee and Susan Searing's CRK Stable, which also owns Express Train. Parnelli finished third in the San Pasqual last time out.

Ramon Vazquez will be aboard Sadler's entrant, 6-year-old Heywoods Beach, from post 7. Owned by Hronis Racing, Heywoods Beach most recently finished third to Country Grammer  and Stilleto Boy in the Dec. 26 San Antonio Stakes (G2).

Only two horses who participated in Express Train's Santa Anita Handicap are returning for this year's edition. Warrant  and Stilleto Boy finished second and third, respectively, in 2022. Ed Moger trains 5-year-old Stilleto Boy (Kent Desormeaux, post 4) for his brother, Steve. In his next start after the Santa Anita Handicap last year, Stilleto Boy won the Californian Stakes (G2).

Cox trains 5-year-old Warrant and ships him in from Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Since last year's Big 'Cap, Warrant has started four times, running second in the Brooklyn Stakes (G2) at Belmont Park and third in the Cornhusker Handicap (G3) at Prairie Meadows. Warrant is coming off a win in an allowance/optional claimer at Fair Grounds. Flavien Prat will ride from post 6.

Entries: Santa Anita H. presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 04, 2023, Race 12

• Grade I
• 1 1/4m
• Dirt
• $500,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:31 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1There Goes Harvard (KY)	Kazushi Kimura	120	Michael W. McCarthy	12/1
2	2Parnelli (KY)	Victor Espinoza	119	John A. Shirreffs	20/1
3	3Newgrange (KY)	Lanfranco Dettori	122	Philip D'Amato	6/1
4	4Stilleto Boy (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	122	Ed Moger, Jr.	5/1
5	5Defunded (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	125	Bob Baffert	7/2
6	6Warrant (KY)	Flavien Prat	121	Brad H. Cox	4/1
7	7Heywoods Beach (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	119	John W. Sadler	20/1
8	8Hopper (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	Bob Baffert	8/1
9	9Scarlet Fusion (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	117	Joe Sharp	12/1
10	10Tisquantum (KY)	Hector Isaac Berrios	114	Rolando Quinonez	30/1
11	11Proxy (KY)	John R. Velazquez	123	Michael Stidham	4/1