Top Santa Anita Horses Get in Work Before Rain
Image:
Description:
Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Midnight Storm, who most recently won the San Pasqual Stakes (G2), was one of several top horses who worked Feb. 5
With rain due again Feb. 6, there were 247 recorded workouts at Santa Anita Park Feb. 5, and among them were many top-level horses preparing for their next stakes start.
Heading the heavy hitters on the main track were Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner and champion female sprinter Finest City, who went four furlongs for trainer Ian Kruljac in :50 1/5.
"She looked fabulous, went easy, just cruising," Kruljac said. "The Santa Margarita (G1, $400,000 at 1 1/8 miles March 18) looks pretty enticing."
Midnight Storm, prepping for the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) March 11, went six furlongs in 1:13 3/5 for Phil D'Amato, who called it a "good" work.
Sheer Pleasure, nominated to the Feb. 11 Santa Maria Stakes (G2), worked five furlongs for D'Amato in 1:01 3/5, while stablemate Big Hit, ticketed for the Feb. 12 San Vicente Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, went five furlongs in 1:00 3/5.
Impressive maiden winner Iliad, set to make his first start for trainer Doug O'Neill in the San Vicente since being transferred from Bob Baffert's barn by Kaleem Shah, breezed four furlongs in a bullet :47 3/5, the fastest of 72 drills at the distance that day, the average time of which was :49.54.
Unbeaten Mastery, winner of the grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity, worked five furlongs in company with Cat Burglar for Baffert in 1:00 1/5. Mastery is nominated to the San Vicente, but Baffert said the Candy Ride colt would make his next start in either the $900,000 Rebel Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park March 18 or the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita March 11. Each race is run at 1 1/16 miles.
Streaking Vale Dori worked four furlongs in :49 4/5 after which Baffert proclaimed the 5-year-old Argentine-bred mare "ready" for Saturday's Santa Maria for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Vale Dori's last two wins came in the Bayakoa Handicap and the La Canada Stakes (both G2).
American Anthem, yet another in Baffert's seemingly endless crop of Triple Crown hopefuls, worked five furlongs in company with Diva La Mousse, each clocked in 1:02 3/5.
Multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter Masochistic, with designs on the grade 1 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs March 11, went six furlongs in a bullet 1:12 2/5 for trainer Ron Ellis. It was the fastest of 20 drills at the distance. Stakes-winning sprinter Kobe's Back, also set for the Triple Bend, went five furlongs in 1:01 flat for Peter Eurton.
Grade 1 Gamely Stakes winner Illuminant had a four furlong move on the dirt training track. The Quality Road mare finished second best for the distance on the day in :48 2/5.