Although the stakes races are back with their familiar names, there’s
something different about fall racing at Santa Anita this year: the meet is not
being held under the auspices of the Oak Tree Racing Association. Instead, Santa
Anita itself was awarded the dates by the California Horse Racing Board, and
will inaugurate its own autumn meet, which begins Friday and runs through
November 6.
This marks the first time, since the inception of Oak Tree in 1969, that the
not-for-profit has not conducted a fall race meet. The Oak Tree season had been
a permanent fixture at the Arcadia, California, track for four decades. In 2010,
however, concerns about Santa Anita’s old synthetic surface led to a change of
venue to Hollywood Park.
The customary fall stakes are now back at Santa Anita, albeit not on the same
terms. Track management struck a deal with Oak Tree, allowing Santa Anita to
stage the stakes that have hitherto been synonymous with the Oak Tree meet.
As ever, opening weekend is defined by its feast of Breeders’ Cup prep races.
The stakes action gets off to a quick start in more ways than one in Friday’s
$100,000
Senator Ken Maddy S. (G3). The about 6 1/2-furlong dash on the downhill turf
was carded as the 3RD race, with an approximate post time of 2:02 p.m. (PDT),
after only five distaffers dared to take on defending champion UNZIP ME (City
Zip).
Unzip Me used the 2010 Maddy as a springboard to a fine third versus males in
the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G2) at Churchill Downs, and the Marty Jones mare
is using the same playbook this year. While she captured last year’s Maddy at
Hollywood, she boasts a sparkling 7-5-1-0 mark over Santa Anita’s unique course.
Her local victories include the 2010 Las Cienegas H. (G3) and the 2011 Clocker’s
Corner H. and Monrovia S. (G3), the latter two over BROKEN DREAMS (Broken Vow).
In her last appearance at Santa Anita, Unzip Me narrowly failed to repeat in
the April 9 Las Cienegas. Despite lugging the top weight of 127 pounds, and
conceding nine pounds to SEPARATE FOREST (Forestry), she came up just a neck
shy. Unzip Me returned from a three-month break in a July 14 allowance at
Hollywood and again finished second, this time to Broken Dreams, who was in
receipt of seven pounds.
With a slightly less onerous weight spread in the August 12 Daisycutter H. at
Del Mar, Unzip Me had the pleasure of turning the tables on both of those
rivals. She rallied late to cut down Separate Forest by a half-length, with
GIVINE (Fr) (Blackdoun [Fr]) third and Broken Dreams fourth. WAVELINE
(Stravinsky) tired to fifth in her belated reappearance, but is eligible to do
better in her second start off the bench. One year ago, Waveline improved off a
fifth in the Daisycutter to take runner-up honors in the Maddy.
Unzip Me gets in even better at the weights on Friday. Her 120-pound impost
is the lightest she’s carried against fellow distaffers in a long time. The
ultra-consistent chestnut, who has won or placed in all but two of 21 career
starts, remains the one to beat with regular rider Rafael Bejarano.
Separate Forest, who was subsequently third in the September 5 Turf Amazon H.
at Parx, ranks as the 123-pound co-highweight along with TANDA (Sweetsouthernsaint).
Fourth to Separate Forest and Unzip Me off a lengthy layoff in the Las Cienegas,
Tanda is coming off a score in the August 21 Rancho Bernardo H. (G3) on
Polytrack, her debut for the Mike Mitchell barn.
Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Challenge Day program features four Grade 1 stakes,
three of them on the newly-revamped dirt track. Each worth $250,000, they are
all billed as “Win and You’re In” events for their respective Breeders’ Cup
races on November 4-5.
The 1 1/16-mile Lady’s Secret S. (G1) no longer has the happily-retired
Zenyatta, who won the last three runnings, but it doesn’t lack for intrigue.
Champion BLIND LUCK (Pollard’s Vision), last seen denying archrival Havre de
Grace (Saint Liam) in the July 16 Delaware H. (G2), will top an accomplished
field of Ladies’ Classic (G1) aspirants. John Sadler will choose between
multiple Grade 1 vixen SWITCH (Quiet American), who ran Zenyatta to a
half-length in last year’s Lady’s Secret, and ZAZU (Tapit), or both. Also set to
compete is ASK THE MOON (Malibu Moon), the winner of the Ruffian Invitational H.
(G1) and Personal Ensign Invitational (G1) in her last two at Saratoga.
Santa Anita H. (G1) winner GAME ON DUDE (Awesome Again) is expected to
headline the 1 1/8-mile Goodwood S. (G1), a tune-up for the Breeders’ Cup
Classic (G1). He could be joined by fellow Bob Baffert trainee COIL (Point
Given) as well as Craig Dollase’s AWESOME GEM (Awesome Again).
The 1 1/4-mile Yellow Ribbon S. (G1), a 1 1/4-mile stepping stone to the
Filly & Mare Turf (G1), figures to attract the circuit’s leading lights —
DUBAWI HEIGHTS (GB) (Dubawi), COZI ROSIE (Pleasantly Perfect), MALIBU PIER
(Malibu Moon), HARMONIOUS (Dynaformer) and CAMBINA (Ire) (Hawk Wing).
The 1 1/16-mile Norfolk S. (G1) promises to reunite the top three from the
Del Mar Futurity (G1) — DRILL (Lawyer Ron), CREATIVE CAUSE (Giant’s Causeway)
and MAJESTIC CITY (City Zip) — as they aim for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).
Sunday’s companion $250,000 Oak Leaf S. (G1), a launching pad to the Juvenile
Fillies (G1), will star Del Mar Debutante S. (G1) winner WEEMISSFRANKIE (Sunriver).
The $150,000 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (G2) doesn’t qualify as a “Win
and You’re In,” but as a practical matter, multiple Grade 1 hero ACCLAMATION
(Unusual Heat) and reigning titleholder CHAMP PEGASUS (Fusaichi Pegasus) are
bound for the Turf (G1).
Breeders’ Cup clues will still be in evidence the following weekend. On
October 8, the $250,000 Ancient Title S. (G1) offers a guaranteed berth in the
Sprint (G1), and the $150,000 Oak Tree Mile (G2) will sift the local hopefuls
for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). The October 9 Louis R. Rowan S. could furnish a
Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) contender, and the October 10 Morvich S. (G3) promises
to yield at least one for the Turf Sprint. The six-furlong Jack Goodman S., also
on the Columbus Day card, might have implications for the new Juvenile Sprint.
One week before the Breeders’ Cup, Santa Anita will host the California Cup
on October 29. The Golden State fanfare has been trimmed this season, but
multiple Grade 2 winner CARACORTADO (Cat Dreams) will bring the limelight onto
the 1 1/8-mile Cal Cup Classic, now switched to the turf.
The final stakes of the 24-day stand is the November 6 Las Palmas S. (G2) for
turf distaffers at a mile.
During the autumn meet, Santa Anita will offer the 50-cent, Players’ Pick
Five, which features a fan-friendly low takeout of 14 percent. The Players’ Pick
Five requires players to select five winners in five consecutive races and will
be offered on the first five races each racing day.
The late Pick Four will be offered on the final four races each day and
requires players to select the winner of each race in that sequence. There will
be a $400,000 guaranteed late Pick Four on Saturday, Breeders’ Cup Challenge
Day.
Santa Anita has scheduled an additional attraction on Saturday — the fourth
Gourmet Food Truck Festival, which will attract approximately 70 vendors,
including such prominent food trucks as The Grilled Cheese Truck, the Lobsta
Truck, Ragin Cajun, Shrimp Pimp, White Rabbit, Nom Nom and many more.
Also on Saturday, Santa Anita will pay tribute to its heroic 90-year-old
Paddock Guard John Shear, as the Great Race Place will name a designated race
“The John Shear Hero Purse.” The race will include a winner’s circle ceremony in
which Shear will be recognized for his selfless act of heroism earlier this year
on March 12, when he shielded a six-year-old girl from a runaway horse just
outside of Santa Anita’s walking ring.
Free, live video streaming will be available for the duration of Santa
Anita’s autumn meet at HRTV.com.