Stronghold, Subsanador Return to Racing in San Carlos

A busy weekend of stakes action in Thoroughbred racing will come to a close with fireworks March 29 as grade 1 winners Stronghold  and Subsanador  make their highly anticipated 2026 debuts in the $100,000 San Carlos Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

A homebred for Eric and Sharon Waller, Stronghold has been the model of consistency in his 12-race career—participating in the exacta on 10 occasions. The son of Ghostzapper 's biggest success came over the Santa Anita dirt while winning the 2024 Santa Anita Derby (G1). However, the Phil D'Amato trainee has a pair of questions to answer Sunday.

The first will be the distance. In three starts over 7 furlongs, he's run well but hasn't broken into the winner's circle, placing second in all three. In fact, his only victory around one turn came over a mile in his maiden victory at Churchill Downs in 2023.

Second will be the fitness question. After finishing an uncharacteristic 10th in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) in January 2025, he didn't race again until finishing second in the Aug. 23 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2), beaten a half-length by Dr. Venkman . He also didn't return to the work tab until late December and now emerges for his first start in seven months.

Wathnan Racing's Subsanador will have an even bigger layoff question to answer as he makes his first start since outdueling subsequent champion National Treasure   and grade 1 winner Newgate   in the 2024 California Crown Stakes (G1) 18 months ago.

An ankle injury led to trainer Richard Mandella abandoning plans for that year's Breeders' Cup, and diagnostic tests the next spring led to the Hall of Famer giving the Argentine-bred son of Fortify  more time, according to a March 2025 Daily Racing Form report. Returning to the work tab Jan. 21, the now 7-year-old has breezed every five to seven days since, including a 7-furlong move in 1:25 4/5 two works back March 19.

The connections of Stronghold and Subsanador will hope their comebacks go as well as Cornucopian 's did Jan. 31. The promising son of Into Mischief  , who races for a large ownership group that includes SF Racing, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables among others, returned from a nine-month layoff to beat allowance foes by 3 lengths.

Now making his second start off the layoff, Cornucopian is one of two entrants trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who has won the race five times, including last year with Pilot Commander . The other, Getaway Car , exits a third-place finish in the March 7 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) over a much longer 1 1/4 miles.

The field is rounded out by Bartholdy , who cuts back after a pair of third-place finishes in grade 2 company around two turns; Listenupshance , second in the 6-furlong Palos Verdes Stakes last out Feb. 15; and multiple graded stakes-placed Judge Miller , who makes his first start since late November.