With a smashing 4 1/4-length victory in the January 15 Sham S. (G3),
Tapizar, who broke his maiden by 10 1/2 lengths at Churchill Downs
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“I’m blessed to have him,” Asmussen said of Tapizar. “He’s a tremendously
talented horse.”
A prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 9, the Lewis is
also a qualifier for the inaugural Preakness 5.5 program. Saturday’s winner will
receive a $5.5 million bonus if he goes on to win both the Santa Anita Derby and
Preakness S. (G1).
Tapizar’s opponents include THIRTYFIRSTSTREET (Good Journey), who will try
open company for the first time following his victory in the opening-day
California Breeders’ Champion S. The Doug O’Neill-trained colt will be running
late under a returning Patrick Valenzuela. Sham third-placer ANTHONY’S CROSS
(Indian Charlie), who is also cross-entered to the El Camino Real Derby, is
eligible to show more in his second stakes attempt for Eoin Harty, and multiple
Grade 1-placed RIVETING REASON (Fusaichi Pegasus) brings plenty of stakes
experience to the equation.
Eddie Logan runner-up TEN DEVILS (Rock Hard Ten) will go turf to dirt for
Santa Anita will offer the $150,000
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St Trinians captured last year’s Santa Maria by a convincing 1 3/4-length
margin and was favored next time out over males in the Santa Anita H. (G1), but
the six-year-old mare found the 1 1/4-mile distance too taxing and checked in
sixth. She then threw a real scare into the mighty Zenyatta, falling a
half-length short in the Vanity H. (G1), but unfortunately headed to the
sidelines afterward. The Mike Mitchell trainee will return off a 244-day hiatus
Saturday and picks up a new rider in Joe Talamo.
Mona de Momma will bring a two-race winning streak into the Santa Maria, but
she hasn’t been seen under silks since capturing the seven-furlong Humana
Distaff (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard. The Bob Baffert-trained mare is
slated to make her two-turn debut under Alonso Quinonez.
Bayakoa (G2) heroine WASHINGTON BRIDGE (Yankee Gentleman) has never been
better, winning her last three starts for Jerry Hollendorfer, and will keep
Rafael Bejarano up. IT TIZ (Tiznow) exits a sharp score in the grassy Megahertz
S. for Mark Glatt, and the improving VISION IN GOLD (Medaglia d’Oro) is a
promising filly from the Ron McAnally shedrow. Grade 2 queen ZARDANA (Brz)
(Crimson Tide) and recent allowance winner MISS MATCH (Arg) (Indygo Shiner)
round out the line-up.