Trainer Frankel Looks to Stay Hot With Burning Sun, Urban King

Trainer Bobby Frankel has been hot in the early portion of the Santa Anita winter-spring meet. He won with nine of his first 30 starters, leaving him tied atop the trainer standings with Bob Baffert.

Frankel has a chance to add to his total with runners in two of the three turf races on today’s card in Arcadia. He will also send out the maiden Big Jon in the sixth race, a $46,000 affair at 1 1/16 miles, which is part of a pick six with a carry-over of $83,134.

In the first, a $60,000 optional claimer at 1 1/8 miles, Frankel will send out Burning Sun and Urban King. His starter in the fifth, a $62,500 claimer at one mile, is Blue Steller.

A 7-year-old Danzig horse owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, Burning Sun ran poorly in his first start of the year, finishing last in the San Gabriel Handicap won by stablemate Badge Of Silver.

Urban King finally got his first win in the U.S. on Oct. 6, but it took the disqualification of stablemate Dealers Choice to get the victory.

Blue Steller, an 8-year-old Barathea horse, has picked up two of his six career wins on the Santa Anita turf.

Race of the day: Bushfire, who beat maidens by 2 1/2 lengths on Nov. 25 at Churchill Downs, will try for a repeat when she takes on 11 other 3-year-old fillies in today’s ninth at Gulfstream Park.

One for the road: Wild Wedding gets a big jockey change to Rafael Bejarano as she moves up a level in today’s seventh at Gulfstream after being claimed on Nov. 21. The 4-year-old Wild Event filly debuts for Robbies & Emmas Racing Stables, Inc. and trainer Jesus Chavez in the $50,000 claimer at about one mile.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Epic Power, Blue Steller, Austin Barber and Salcombe in the fifth, the Point Determined entry in the sixth, Seminole Native, Karn and Solid Fuel in the seventh and Miss Whim Z, Iyieldtonoone and Areyoulook’nforme in the eighth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 2/31. Money: (previous day/meet total): $11.80/$191. Total money bet: $220.