Midnight Hawk, Chitu to Clash in Damascus

Bob Baffert stablemates Midnight Hawk and Chitu figure prominently in the $100,000 Damascus Stakes Oct. 31 at Santa Anita Park, the final of five races before four Breeders' Cup World Championship races on Friday's card.

In the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds and older, grade III winner Midnight Hawk will be making his first start since finishing a close second to Dynamic Impact in the Illinois Derby (gr. III) April 19 at Hawthorne Race Course. The 3-year-old Midnight Lute   colt won the Sham Stakes (gr. III) in his second career start in January and then placed in four straight graded stakes.

Tanma Corp.'s Chitu also enters off a long layoff as the 3-year-old Henny Hughes colt has not raced since finishing ninth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) May 3 at Churchill Downs. In his start before that race, Chitu won the $800,110 Sunland Derby (gr. III) by 2 1/4 lengths over Midnight Hawk.

Both Chitu and Midnight Hawk will be facing older horses for the first time.

Of the older horses in Friday's field, grade II winner Bahamian Squall should factor. Last year's Smile Sprint Handicap (gr. II) winner returns to Santa Anita where he finished sixth in last year's Xpressbet Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) for owner-breeder Donald Dizney. Trainer David Fawkes enters the 5-year-old son of Gone West off a clear victory in an allowance-optional claiming race Oct. 2 at Gulfstream Park.