Weekend Stakes Rundown: Arrogate Returns
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Photo: Zoe Metz
Arrogate
Each week BloodHorse.com looks forward to the weekend's biggest races. Consider this your weekly guide to the best stakes races in North America. This week, we have four graded stakes at Santa Anita Park, the first Triple Crown prep of 2017, and more. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern) and full previews can be found through the link for each race.
Saturday, Dec. 31
3:01 p.m.—$75,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park
Oscar Nominated is set to finish off a productive 2016 campaign. The Kitten's Joy ridgling has amassed nearly $600,000 during a sophomore campaign that included three stakes triumphs, as well as a start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). He captured the Black Gold Stakes over the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots turf course in February before he earned a berth in the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Spiral Stakes (gr. III) over Turfway Park's synthetic surface in March.
Tropical Park Derby
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 31, 2016, Race 7
- STK
- 1 1/16m
- Turf
- $75,000
- 3 yo
- 3:01 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1J R 's Holiday (KY) | Emisael Jaramillo | 120 | Jose Garoffalo | 20/1 |
| 2 | 2Berliner (KY) | Paco Lopez | 118 | Nicholas Gonzalez | 10/1 |
| 3 | 3Mighty Mo (KY) | Angel Cruz | 116 | William I. Mott | 15/1 |
| 4 | 4Franklin Towers (KY) | Corey J. Lanerie | 120 | Jane Cibelli | 15/1 |
| 5 | 5Two Step Time (FL) | Tyler Gaffalione | 120 | Michael J. Maker | 15/1 |
| 6 | 6Gimlet (KY) | Edgard J. Zayas | 116 | Todd A. Pletcher | 6/1 |
| 7 | 7Tonedaddy (KY) | Lane J. Luzzi | 116 | John Mattine | 30/1 |
| 8 | 8Inspector Lynley (KY) | John R. Velazquez | 122 | Claude R. McGaughey III | 4/1 |
| 9 | 9Oscar Nominated (KY) | Julien R. Leparoux | 120 | Michael J. Maker | 3/1 |
| 10 | 10Giant Run (MD) | Joe Bravo | 120 | Thomas Albertrani | 15/1 |
| 11 | 11Stockyard (KY) | Eddie Castro | 116 | Todd A. Pletcher | 12/1 |
| 12 | 12Strike Midnight (KY) | Jose Lezcano | 116 | Leah Gyarmati | 9/2 |
| 13 | 13Direct Message (KY) | Joe Bravo | 116 | Thomas Albertrani | 10/1 |
4:29 p.m.—$100,000 Midnight Lute Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita Park
With top California sprinter Masochistic denied entry in the wake of his post-race positive after the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), five will head postward in the $100,000 Midnight Lute Stakes (gr. III) for a chance at an initial graded score. Reddam Racing's Jimmy Bouncer looks to make the most of the opportunity, coming off back-to-back victories—a Nov. 18 allowance/optional claiming race sprinting five furlongs on the Del Mar lawn and the Harris Farms Stakes on the Fresno dirt.
Midnight Lute S. (gr. III)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, December 31, 2016, Race 3
- 6 1/2f
- Dirt
- $100,000
- 3 yo's & up
- 1:29 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Tough Sunday (CA) | Tyler Baze | 120 | Steven Miyadi | 7/2 |
| 2 | 2Solid Wager (CA) | Victor Espinoza | 122 | Peter Miller | 8/1 |
| 3 | 3St. Joe Bay (FL) | Kent J. Desormeaux | 120 | Peter Miller | 9/5 |
| 4 | 4Navy Hymn (KY) | Rafael Bejarano | 118 | Richard Baltas | 5/2 |
| 5 | 5Jimmy Bouncer (CA) | Mario Gutierrez | 122 | Doug F. O'Neill | 5/2 |
4:59 p.m.—$100,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita Park
Arles will take another crack at adding an elusive graded stakes prize to her list of accomplishments. The 4-year-old Monsun filly finished second in her first two starts in North America, both grade III tests on grass. In her United States debut, she finished second to Suffused in the Glens Falls Stakes Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course before again securing runner-up honors in the Red Carpet Handicap Nov. 24 at Del Mar.
Robert J. Frankel S. (gr. IIIT)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, December 31, 2016, Race 4
- 1 1/8m
- Turf
- $100,000
- 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
- 1:59 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98 | 1Sweet Charity (FR) | SCRATCHED | 0 | UNKNOWN | - |
| 1 | 2Keri Belle (KY) | Norberto Arroyo, Jr. | 122 | John A. Shirreffs | 6/1 |
| 2 | 3Frenzified (GB) | Santiago Gonzalez | 122 | James M. Cassidy | 6/1 |
| 3 | 4Arles (FR) | Joel Rosario | 120 | H. Graham Motion | 9/5 |
| 4 | 5Pretty Girl (ARG) | Drayden Van Dyke | 120 | Paulo H. Lobo | 5/1 |
| 5 | 6Ryans Charm (KY) | Rafael Bejarano | 125 | Patrick Gallagher | 4/1 |
| 6 | 7Goodyearforroses (IRE) | Corey S. Nakatani | 122 | Richard Baltas | 6/1 |
| 7 | 8Into The Mystic (IRE) | Flavien Prat | 120 | Richard E. Mandella | 6/1 |
7 p.m.—$300,000 American Oaks (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park
Trainer Graham Motion, who has made a habit of swooping in to win graded grass races in Southern California, will look to add another to the list. Queen Blossom will represent Motion in the American Oaks, her first U.S. start. Under the care of previous trainer P.J. Prendergast, Queen Blossom won the Lodge Park Stud E.B.F. Park Express Stakes (Ire-III) to start her 2016 campaign in March, but finished a well-beaten fifth and sixth in two subsequent stakes starts in Ireland before moving to Motion's barn at Fair Hill Training Center.
American Oaks (gr. IT)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, December 31, 2016, Race 8
- 1 1/4m
- Turf
- $300,000
- 3 yo Fillies
- 4:00 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Lady Valeur (IRE) | Rafael Bejarano | 119 | Patrick Gallagher | 15/1 |
| 2 | 2Stays in Vegas (KY) | Flavien Prat | 121 | Jerry Hollendorfer | 7/2 |
| 3 | 3Dreamarcher (KY) | Luis Contreras | 119 | Jerry Hollendorfer | 30/1 |
| 4 | 4How Unusual (CA) | Norberto Arroyo, Jr. | 119 | Michael Pender | 30/1 |
| 5 | 5Cheekaboo (CA) | Mike E. Smith | 121 | Peter Eurton | 8/1 |
| 6 | 6Sassy Little Lila (KY) | Luis Saez | 119 | Brad H. Cox | 9/2 |
| 7 | 7Decked Out (KY) | Kent J. Desormeaux | 121 | J. Keith Desormeaux | 4/1 |
| 8 | 8Queen Blossom (IRE) | Joel Rosario | 121 | H. Graham Motion | 9/2 |
| 9 | 9Mrs. Norris (KY) | Victor Espinoza | 119 | Eoin G. Harty | 30/1 |
| 10 | 10Sheeza Milky Way (KY) | Jamie Theriot | 119 | Peter Eurton | 12/1 |
| 11 | 11Dynamic Mizzes K (KY) | Corey S. Nakatani | 119 | Mark Glatt | 30/1 |
| 12 | 12Barleysugar (IRE) | Tyler Baze | 119 | Edward R. Freeman | 12/1 |
| 13 | 13Mokat (KY) | Drayden Van Dyke | 121 | Richard Baltas | 6/1 |
Sunday, Jan. 1
1:30 p.m.—$100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park
Delta Bluesman will attempt to return to winning form in the six-furlong test, following a disappointing sixth in the Nov. 5 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I). The soon-to-be 7-year-old son of Wagon Limit, who has been training sharply at Gulfstream Park West, earned his way into the Breeders' Cup Sprint with a win in the Smile Sprint Stakes (gr. II), a "Win & You're In" race, July 2.
Mr. Prospector S. (gr. III)
Gulfstream Park, Sunday, January 01, 2017, Race 4
- 6f
- Dirt
- $100,000
- 4 yo's & up
- 1:30 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1El Deal (KY) | John R. Velazquez | 119 | Francisco D'Angelo | 6/1 |
| 2 | 2Squadron A (KY) | Corey J. Lanerie | 117 | Dale L. Romans | 10/1 |
| 3 | 3Candip (KY) | Tyler Gaffalione | 121 | Michael A. Tomlinson | 5/1 |
| 4 | 4Yourdreamsormine (FL) | Paco Lopez | 121 | Milton W. Wolfson | 6/1 |
| 5 | 5Shaft of Light (ON) | Edgard J. Zayas | 121 | Jorge Navarro | 2/1 |
| 6 | 6Delta Bluesman (FL) | Emisael Jaramillo | 123 | Jorge Navarro | 9/5 |
7 p.m.—$200,000 San Pasqual Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Park
California Chrome had his prep for the Pegasus World Cup (gr. I) Dec. 17 at Los Alamitos Race Course. Now it's Arrogate's turn across town. Juddmonte Farms' gray colt, who upended California Chrome's undefeated season Nov. 5 in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I), hopes to use the San Pasqual as a springboard to the $12 million race Jan. 28. Fellow grade I winner Midnight Storm looms as a potential challenger in the San Pasqual.
San Pasqual S. (gr. II)
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, January 01, 2017, Race 8
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $200,000
- 4 yo's & up
- 4:00 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Prospect Park (KY) | Norberto Arroyo, Jr. | 120 | Clifford W. Sise, Jr. | 10/1 |
| 2 | 2Accelerate (KY) | Tyler Baze | 125 | John W. Sadler | 8/1 |
| 3 | 3Dalmore (FL) | Kent J. Desormeaux | 122 | J. Keith Desormeaux | 20/1 |
| 4 | 4Midnight Storm (KY) | Rafael Bejarano | 125 | Philip D'Amato | 4/1 |
| 5 | 5Arrogate (KY) | Mike E. Smith | 125 | Bob Baffert | 1/5 |
Monday, Jan. 2
3:50 p.m.—$150,000 Jerome Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct Racetrack
El Areeb and six other newly minted 3-year-olds will seek points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby in the mile-and-70-yard, inner-track test. The stakes-winning Exchange Rate colt is coming off of a front-running 5 1/4-length score in the Nov. 19 James F. Lewis Stakes at Laurel Park. One race prior, an Oct. 15 six-furlong maiden special weight race, he also took the lead immediately out of the gate and hit the wire 8 3/4 lengths in front.
Jerome S. (gr. III)
Aqueduct Racetrack, Monday, January 02, 2017, Race 8
- 1m 70y
- Inner track
- $150,000
- 3 yo
- 3:50 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Bonus Points (MD) | Manuel Franco | 116 | Todd A. Pletcher | 15/1 |
| 2 | 2Everybodyluvsrudy (KY) | Angel S. Arroyo | 116 | Rudy R. Rodriguez | 8/1 |
| 3 | 3Takaful (KY) | Jose L. Ortiz | 116 | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | 1/1 |
| 4 | 4True Timber (KY) | Kendrick Carmouche | 116 | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | 12/1 |
| 5 | 5The Walk (KY) | Dylan Davis | 116 | Thomas Albertrani | 20/1 |
| 6 | 6El Areeb (KY) | Trevor McCarthy | 120 | Cathal A. Lynch | 3/1 |
| 7 | 7Win With Pride (KY) | Irad Ortiz, Jr. | 116 | Todd A. Pletcher | 6/1 |