• KRULJAC SEEKS REPEAT VICTORY IN SAN ANTONIO

• CANOODLING COULD KISS LA BREA FOES BYE-BYE

• CRAFT BEER AND CIDER FESTIVAL ON OPENING DAY

• 2022 WALL CALENDAR CELEBRATES EARLY YEARS

• SHOWVIVOR BACK PLUS $20,000 PICK ‘EM CONTEST

KISS TODAY GOODBYE DEFENDS SAN ANTONIO WIN

Kiss Today Goodbye was 15-1 when he won last year’s San Antonio Stakes, but he could be a somewhat shorter price when he defends that victory in Sunday’s Grade II event for older horses at 1 1/16 miles, despite facing a more daunting lineup.

“The race looks very tough,” said Eric Kruljac, who trains the Kentucky-bred son of Cairo Prince for owner John Sondereker.

“You’ve got Hot Rod Charlie plus two (Bob) Baffert horses (Azul Coast and Eight Rings, first and third, respectively, in the Grade III Native Diver Stakes last out Nov. 20 at Del Mar).”

That said, Kiss Today Goodbye was second in the Native Diver, a length and a quarter in front of Eight Rings and again will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux, who was in classic Hall of Fame form at Del Mar, displaying the same God-given skills at 51 that he did when he rode his first “official” winner at age 16 in 1986 at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Louisiana.

“Kent was riding great at Del Mar, and actually there’s no other place to run the horse, so we’ll give it a shot and hope for the best on Sunday,” Kruljac said. “It’s a big step up but he’s training well, so you never know.”

Kiss Today Goodbye was making his first start in four months in the Native Diver, which should benefit the four-year-old colt in the San Antonio, which has a relatively small field, another potential advantage.

“He doesn’t like kickback (dirt in his face), which I feel attributed to his worst efforts, but this is a seven-horse field, not a 12-horse field, so that goes in his favor,” Kruljac said.

“I finally put blinkers on him the Native Diver and I think that helped him cope with the kickback. On these dry race tracks in California, the kickback is really large.”

The field for the San Antonio, race six of 11 with an 11 a.m. first post time: Extra Hope, Tyler Baze, 20-1; Express Train, Victor Espinoza, 7-2; Go On, Mario Gutierrez, 20-1; Hot Rod Charlie, Flavien Prat, 6-5; Eight Rings, John Velazquez, 4-1; Kiss Today Goodbye, Kent Desormeaux, 5-1; and Azul Coast, Juan Hernandez, 5-1.

INVADER CANOODLING EYES FIRST GRADE I VICTORY

Canoodling invades from racing’s hinterlands to compete Sunday in her first Grade I event, the $300,000 La Brea Stakes for three-year-old fillies at seven furlongs.

It will be the daughter of Pioneerof the Nile’s first start for trainer Mike Puype after having raced in New Mexico and Texas for trainer Todd Fincher. In 2020, she finished fifth in three Southern California stakes for trainer Jeff Mullins.

“They sent her to me from New Mexico and we’ve had her a couple weeks,” said Puype, who will give a leg up to Roimes Chirinos. The 33-year-old Venezuela native has ridden Canoodling (it means “to engage in amorous embracing, caressing and kissing,” like lovers canoodling in the park) in her last five races, winning two.

“She’s had a work over the track and I didn’t think the race came up super-tough, so maybe they did the right thing giving her a chance to run here,” Puype said.

“The problem, is she’s got to deal with the rail. It’s not a good post on any given day, but we’ll be ready to run Sunday and see what we can do.

“They wanted Roimes to come in to ride her. He’s winning races on her, and that’s good.”

The La Brea is race eight: Canoodling, Roimes Chirinos, 8-1; Eddie’s New Dream, Mario Gutierrez, 15-1; Kalypso, John Velazquez, 5-1; Private Mission, Flavien Prat, 8-5; Missy P., Mike Smith, 5-2; Brilliant Cut, Jose Ortiz, 12-1; and Livingmybestlife, Juan Hernandez, 7-2.

 

GRADE I RACES, PROMOTIONS ON OPENING DAY

Santa Anita presents six graded stakes on opening day, three of them Grade I’s.

Also, the storied track will serve up a variety of events and promotions including the popular Craft Beer and Cider Festival.

First post time for the variegated 11-race program is 11 a.m. Admission gates open at 9 a.m.

Available to those 21 and older, the Craft Beer and Cider Festival will include LA’s best food vendors and food trucks, both trackside and near Santa Anita’s Kingsbury Fountain on the west end of the Paddock Gardens,

Fans can save by purchasing a General Package online, which includes Tasting Cup, Tasting Card, a $5 betting voucher and admission including program and General Parking.

Package upgrades to VIP, which include Reserved Trackside seating and a $15 food voucher, are also available online and in person.

In addition to the Grade I Runhappy Malibu Stakes, the Grade I American Oaks and the Grade I La Brea Stakes, the card is amply and ably supported by the San Antonio Stakes, the Santa Anita Mathis Mile and the San Gabriel Stakes, each a Grade II event.

Per the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Mega Event Guidelines, fans 12 and older must provide proof of vaccination status prior to entering Santa Anita Park.

Alternatively, fans can show proof of a negative test result (taken within 72 hours from date of event).

For more information on safety protocols, please visit santaanita.com/health.

 

WALL CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS ICONIC EARLY YEARS

Continuing a decades-long tradition, Santa Anita will again treat fans to a magnificent Santa Anita Wall calendar on opening day, free with paid admission.

This year’s calendar features many never-before publicized archival photos of The Great Race Place dating back to its opening on Dec. 25, 1934.

From crowd shots to photos of legendary racing figures such as George Woolf, Gordon Glisson, Johnny Longden and Bill Shoemaker, the calendar also features racing and architectural photos depicting technological advances offered in a “compare and contrast” format each month.

After opening day, the wall calendar will be on sale in the track’s gift shop, Champions! Gifts & Apparel.

First post time for the 11-race opening day card will be 11 a.m. Santa Anita also offers live racing on Monday, Dec. 27, with first post 12 noon for a nine-race program. Santa Anita will be idle for live racing Dec. 28 and 29 and reopen for a four-day racing week on Thursday, Dec. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 2.

First post time on Dec. 30, 31 and Jan. 2 will be 12:30 p.m. First post time New Year’s Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, will be 12 noon. There is Free General Admission and parking on Dec. 30 and 31

While post times will vary due to limited daylight the first six racing days, first post with few exceptions will be 12:30 p.m. most other racing days through April. Again, first post time for Monday’s nine-race program is 12 noon.

 

‘SHOWVIVOR’ AND PICK ‘EM OFFER BIG BUCKS

Santa Anita’s popular free online “Showvivor” will again be available to players everywhere beginning Sunday. In addition to its existing season-long total prize money of $7,500, this year’s Showvivor will also be complemented by another free online contest, Santa Anita Pick ‘Em, offering $20,000 in prize money.

Entries for opening day are available at santaanita.com.

To sign up and for additional details regarding Santa Anita Pick ‘Em and Showvivor, visit santaanita.com or call 626 574-RACE.

 

FINISH LINES: Top jock Flavien Prat could get off to a flying start Sunday as agent Brad Pegram has him named to ride horses in all 11 races, eight of them morning line favorites . . . Trainer Michael McCarthy has a busy opening day with six horses entered, three of them in the Grade I American Oaks, Nicest, Charges Dropped and Single Soul. “I believe that’s the most I’ve ever entered in a stakes,” said McCarthy, who also has Preakness winner Rombauer and Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Ce Ce on the comeback trail, each having worked a half-mile last week…A reminder, special early first post time for an 11-race card on Sunday is at 11 a.m.  Admission gates open at 9 a.m.

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