SANTA ANITA OPENS IN STYLE
The opening of weekend at Santa Anita is a stellar one, with four Grade 1 events on Saturday (Breeders’ Cup Challenge Day) and another two graded races, one a Grade 1, to be held on Sunday.
Champion Blind Luck will have her final Breeders’ Cup prep in the $250,000 Lady’s Secret S. (G1). The four-year-old daughter of Pollard’s Vision has been a standout this campaign, especially in her last three starts, and is a proven commodity on the dirt, arguably her best surface.
Grade 1 winner and last year’s runner-up, Switch, will surely test the favorite for conditioner John Sadler, who is also considering entering star sophomore Zazu in this spot. Both should be warranted on this occasion.
Haskell Invitational S. (G1) hero Coil didn’t fire in the Travers S. (G1), but is among the ones to beat in the $250,000 Goodwood S. (G1). The ultra-talented son of Point Given ran one of the more impressive dirt races of the season two back at Monmouth, and has trained forwardly following a slight break.
Also from Baffert is Santa Anita H. (G1) star Game on Dude, who figured to be a big force in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) with a top showing in here. Recent Longacres Mile (G1) winner Awesome Gem continues to roll on at age eight and figures to be coming on late in this one.
The top three finishers from the Del Mar Futurity (G1), Drill, Creative Cause and Majestic City will highlight the $250,000 Norfolk S. (G1). Drill is a rapidly improving Bob Baffert-trained son of Lawyer Ron, who is likely better on dirt according to his connections.
Creative Cause should appreciate the added ground in here, being by Giant’s Causeway, while Majestic City has been superb since starting his career with a smashing tally for Peter Miller.
In the $250,000 Yellow Ribbon S. (G1), top grass fillies and mares included for this one are dual Grade 1 queen Harmonious, Grade 1 heroine Cambina, Dubawi Heights, Sadler’s Cozi Rosie and the Carla Gaines-trained Malibu Pier.
The Sunday feature at Santa Anita is the $250,000 Oak Leaf S. (G1), led by Del Mar Debutante S. (G1) vixen Weemissfrankie, while multiple Grade 1 standout and Acclamation and defending winner Champ Pegasus are the ones in the $150,000 Clement L. Hirsch Championship S. (G2).