Palos Verdes features short but stout field of five

Sahara Sky registered a 106 BRIS Speed rating when capturing last year’s Palos Verdes (Benoit Photo)

What it lacks in quantity is made up for by quality. Sunday’s Grade 2,
$200,00
Palos Verdes at Santa Anita drew only five runners, but it promises to be
exciting due to the presence of Sahara Sky, Secret Circle and Majestic Stride.

Sahara Sky, unraced since an outstanding victory in the Metropolitan H. in May, will make a title defense for Jerry Hollendorfer. A lightly-raced son of
Pleasant Tap, the six-year-old horse posted his first stakes win while making
his graded debut in the six-furlong Palos Verdes last year, scoring by a length over
eventual Grade 1 hero Private Zone. Corey Nakatani picks up the mount.

Secret Circle, an Eclipse finalist for champion sprinter last year along with
Sahara Sky, will make his first appearance since capturing the Breeders’ Cup
Sprint as the favorite in early November. The five-year-old horse won both
starts last season for Bob Baffert and has never finished worse than second in
nine career outings, winning seven times. Martin Garcia retains the mount on the
son of Eddington.

Majestic Stride enters on the upswing for Jeff Bonde. A close fourth as a
30-1 outsider in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, the five-year-old exits a 2
1/4-length romp as the 3-5 choice in the Grade 3 Vernon O. Underwood. The Trippi
gelding has captured four of seven career attempts and will keep Edwin Maldonado
in the irons.