- SAN VICENTE IN SANTA ANITA SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY
- TEAM MERCHANTS WORKS FOR THE PALOS VERDES
- A FRESHENED MADONE RETURNS FOR MEGAHERTZ
- WORKERS COME BACK WITH 314 RECORDED DRILLS
‘KINGDOM’ IN GOOD SHAPE FOR SAN VICENTE
Absent from the races two months, Forbidden Kingdom, a $300,000 son of 2015 Triple Crown king American Pharoah, returns in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes for three-year-olds at seven furlongs.
“He grabbed a quarter in his last race,” Richard Mandella said, alluding to the Grade III Bob Hope at Del Mar on Nov. 14. “It was a bad one and it took a while to heal up, but he’s back in good shape now.”
Forbidden Kingdom has been working smartly, as a bullet six furlong move in 1:12.40 at Santa Anita on Jan. 10 attests.
Bred by Spendthrift Farm which owns a share of the chestnut colt along with MyRacehorse, Forbidden Kingdom won his debut race at Del Mar last Aug. 21, then was third as the 9-5 favorite in the Speakeasy on turf at Santa Anita Oct. 1.
Forbidden Kingdom has had eventful trips in all three of his races, drifting out, getting bumped and stumbling, respectively.
Juan Hernandez, who has been aboard in all three starts, retains the mount.
The San Vicente is a race that could lead to the Grade I Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 9.
San Vicente is one of three stakes Saturday and one of six next weekend at The Great Race Place.
With Horse of the Year favorite Knicks Go and the brilliant Life Is Good set to meet in the Grade I, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Saturday at Gulfstream Park, fans will be treated to a huge day of bicoastal racing at both Gulfstream in South Florida and at Santa Anita.
Ten graded stakes will be offered between the two venues with first live race post time for a nine-race program at Santa Anita 12:30 p.m.
Complementing the San Vicente on Saturday are the Grade III, $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs for four-year-olds and up and the Grade III, $100,000 Megahertz Stakes at a mile on turf for older fillies and mares.
Sunday’s attractions are the Grade II, $225,000 San Marcos Stakes for older horses at 1 ¼ miles on turf, and two $75,000 events, the Lady of Shamrock Stakes at a mile on turf for three-year-old fillies and the Baffle Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on turf for three-year-olds.
TEAM MERCHANTS SEEKS GRADED STAKES STATUS
Team Merchants, a four-year-old colt by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist who was trained by Doug O’Neill, worked five furlongs Sunday in a sprightly 59.80 for the trainer with designs on this Saturday’s Palos Verdes Stakes.
“He was supposed to breeze yesterday but the track cancelled works due to high winds,” O’Neill said.
“As long as he comes out of his work in good shape, the Palos Verdes is our goal.”
Owned and bred by Reddam Racing LLC, which owned Nyquist, Team Merchants was a distant sixth, 19 lengths behind undefeated heavyweight Flightline, in the Grade I Runhappy Malibu Stakes last Dec. 26.
Prior to that he won the restricted Let It Ride at a mile on Del Mar’s turf course Nov. 4 before prompting the pace but fading in the Grade I Hollywood Derby on turf at the seaside track Nov, 27.
“With his breeding, he’s got all the makings to shock the world,” O’Neill said optimistically, noting it was no disgrace losing to Flightline, adding, “He’s a freak.”
FRESH AND FIT MADONE SET FOR MEGAHERTZ
Multiple graded stakes winner Madone returns from a freshening to run in Saturday’s Megahertz Stakes for Simon Callaghan, who trains the Kentucky-bred daughter of Vancouver for owner Kaleem Shah, Inc.
“We just gave her a little bit of time to regroup, and she runs well fresh,” noted Callaghan, who worked Madone four furlongs this morning in 50 seconds flat on the training track.
Madone has won two starts after a layoff, the Grade III Senorita at Santa Anita on May 1, 2021, her first outing in six months, and the Grade II San Clemente at Del Mar July 24 of last year following an absence of two months.
Not only does Madone run well fresh, the mile of the Megahertz is right in her wheelhouse, as all five of her career victories from seven starts were achieved at that distance on turf.
She has two wins from four races on Santa Anita’s grass course, and will be ridden for the first time in the Megahertz by Joe Bravo.
FINISH LINES: With both tracks closed for workouts Saturday due to high winds, horses were out en masse Sunday as there were a total of 314 recorded breezes, including 88 on the training track. Cezanne, winner of the Grade III Kona Gold last April 18 but unraced since, went five furlongs for Bob Baffert in 59.60 for his probable return in Saturday’s Palos Verdes Stakes, while Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Ce Ce, likely for the Grade II Santa Monica Stakes on Feb. 5, went five furlongs in 1:01.80 for Michael McCarthy. Multiple restricted stakes winner Avenue de France went four furlongs in 49.80 for Leonard Powell, who has the French-bred mare nominated to Saturday’s Megahertz Stakes. Phil D’Amato worked Ready Soul and Say the Word five furlongs on the training track in a bullet 1:01.20 and 1:02.20, respectively. Each is nominated to Saturday’s San Marcos Stakes . . . Doug O’Neill reports Hot Rod Charlie “is doing great” since leaving California Jan. 17 for Dubai to participate in the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 26. “He had his first day galloping on the main track Friday,” the trainer said from his Santa Anita headquarters. “Leandro (assistant Leandro Mora) and the boys are settling in, the horse is settling in, so things are looking up.” . . . Despite experiencing a rare shutout in five rides Saturday, Flavien Prat holds a commanding 31-20 lead over John Velazquez in Santa Anita’s jockeys’ race. The trainers are in a tighter contest, Baffert, D’Amato and O’Neill compiling 13, 12 and 10 wins, respectively . . . Having withdrawn an appeal for a suspension issued last Dec. 26, Kyle Frey will serve three days on Feb. 25, 26 and 27 . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Monday through Thursday, with live racing resuming 12:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28.
