Among the leading U.S.-based three-year-old candidates for the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), it appears only Muth will test his prowess against older horses beforehand. The son of Good Magic is one of two sophomores in a cast of seven in Saturday’s $1 million California Crown (G1) at Santa Anita, a 1 1/8-mile fixture previously known as the Awesome Again, and before that the Goodwood.
Three-year-olds don’t have an especially strong record in the race, but outstanding individuals like Tiznow (2000) and Shared Belief (2014) have won it. Tiznow went on to captured the Classic at Churchill Downs, while Shared Belief was subsequently a troubled fourth in the Classic of his year.
Muth has been a gem of consistency, winning five times and placing twice in seven lifetime starts. Limited to just three starts this season, he’s won each time, including a two-length score in the Arkansas Derby (G1), in which he defeated eventual Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Mystik Dan, and most recently the Shared Belief S. at Del Mar on Sept. 1.
Not surprisingly, Muth figures to have the most difficulty against his fellow stablemates from the barn of Bob Baffert. National Treasure was only fourth in this race last season following a classic victory in the Preakness (G1), but has since captured the Pegasus World Cup (G1) and Metropolitan H. (G1). A well-beaten sixth in the Whitney (G1) over a muddy strip last time, he can get his candidacy for champion older dirt male honors back on track with a victory.
Although the California Crown is a “Win and You’re In” Challenge prep for the Classic, National Treasure’s year-end goal has been said to be the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), which he narrowly lost last year to Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish.
The Baffert-trained Newgate won the Santa Anita H. (G1) by a head over Subsandor, but has not been out since running up the track in the Dubai World Cup (G1) in March. Subsandor, meanwhile, enters off a strong-looking tally in the Philip H. Iselin (G3) in mid-August.
Senor Buscador, who traded decisions with National Treasure earlier this season in the Pegasus and Saudi Cup (G1), should come on from his fourth-place effort in the Pat O’Brien (G2) at Del Mar over seven furlongs, a distance too short for him these days.
California’s top older turf miler, Johannes, will look to make it 4-for-4 on the season in the $200,000 City of Hope Mile (G2), a Challenge prep for its Breeders’ Cup equivalent. Johannes has accounted for the American (G3), Shoemaker Mile (G1), and Eddie Read (G2) this season, and is unbeaten in five attempts over the Santa Anita turf.
Division mainstays Du Jour, Easter, and Conclude are also among the field of nine, while the three-year-old Trikari ships west for Graham Motion after landing the American Turf (G2), Belmont Derby (G1), and Secretariat (G2) earlier this term.
Gold Phoenix, Dicey Mo Chara, and Balnikhov claimed the top three spots in last month’s Del Mar H. (G2) and appear the most serious threats in the $750,000 John Henry Turf Championship (G2) over 1 1/4 miles. Dual allowance winner Divin Propos, though, is an intriguing graded stakes newcomer for trainer Phil D’Amato.
Notables among a field of 11 in the $750,000 Eddie D (G2) at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf are Big Invasion, a neck second in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) in his last trip to Santa Anita, and Two Rivers Over, last seen taking the Godolphin Mile (G2) on the World Cup program in March.
