Horse racing newsletter: Great card at Santa Anita

Hello, my name is John Cherwa, and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as Ron Flatter tries to untangle Kentucky Derby preps and how the Travers fits into it.

Before we get to the main event, it intrigued me why, after seven years, the Gold Cup (at Santa Anita) is going back to the Hollywood Gold Cup, its birth name when it was held at Hollywood Park. (It wasn’t changed because of marriage, it was just changed.)

So, I asked Aidan Butler, the big shot with the long title at Santa Anita, how it happened.

“I speak to Alan Balch a fair bit about the history of California racing and in particular Santa Anita,” Butler texted. “He mentioned to me it didn’t make sense to have changed it in the first place.

“I thought it would be a nice thing to do, so I changed it back and borrowed an original trophy from 1950 to have it replicated. I also got Lava Man to lead the post parade and there it is. Nice to tip our cap to history.”

Balch wears a couple of hats, but in this case, he is treasurer of the California Thoroughbred Foundation. He forwarded a little history about the trophy that will be presented. (How it will be presented with no winner’s circle remains unclear, but I’m sure it will work out.)

“Crafted by Shreve & Co., the 1950 trophy consists of more than 14-karat gold and is more than a foot long.

“Won by racing Hall of Famer Noor, who was ridden by Johnny Longden and was owned by the estate of Charles S. Howard (who also owned Seabiscuit), the 1950 Hollywood Gold Cup trophy is proudly displayed as part of the California Thoroughbred Foundation’s Charles S. Howard Collection.”

You know it’s got to be something good when it contains the words “owned by the estate of….”

So, there you have it, how the Hollywood Gold Cup got its name back.

Ron Flatter’s weekly insights

It’s time for our weekly contribution from Ron Flatter of the Vegas Stats and Information Network. He offers up some thoughts about when the Travers Stakes might be run and at what distance. Ron, what insights do you have?

“In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible keeps happening.

“With apologies to Vin Scully for making him the victim of sentence robbery, every week really does seem to bring a new, unprecedented wrinkle to this year’s Triple Crown trail.

“This week it came from the New York Racing Assn., where vice president Martin Panza confirmed news first reported by XBTV’s Millie Ball Yakteen. That the Travers Stakes will still be run at its traditional 1¼ miles for the 115th time in a row, even though it is expected to be a prep for the Kentucky Derby, which will be run Sept. 5 at its traditional 1¼ miles for the 125th time in a row.

“The precedent here is that a Derby points prep will be the same distance as the Derby. This presumes that the Travers is going to be the last stop on the way to Churchill Downs. Or that it will even be on the trail.

“What Panza did not say was when the Travers will be run. When I asked by text if I would be wrong presuming that it would be either July 25 or Aug. 1, Panza replied, ‘Wrong. Not sure of date yet.’

“Two people who have knowledge of the decision-making process say that Panza truly does not know the answer yet. But they also said that I should have asked about the two dates that are actually being considered: Aug. 8 and Aug. 29.

“Even though the Saturday before Labor Day weekend is the traditional date for the Travers, Aug. 29 makes no sense at all in the pandemic-era landscape. One reason is that unless the Travers purse were to be raised from its usual $1.25 million to more than the Derby’s $3 million, what top-quality 3-year-old would choose Saratoga over America’s biggest race?

“But even if a sugar daddy really sweetened the Travers pot, let’s not forget that NYRA and Churchill Downs just began a TV partnership. It is the very reason why Belmont Park and Churchill were taken off TVG and moved to FS1, FS2, Prime Ticket and Fox Sports San Diego. Would NYRA really torpedo that new marriage with a honeymoon headache?

“An Aug. 8 Travers, however, makes complete sense. Coming four weeks before this year’s run for the long-ago-bloomed roses, it would become the equivalent of the Arkansas Derby, the final big prep in a normal year. And it would unquestionably be a win-and-you’re-in.

“So, when was the last time that a Derby prep was the same length or longer than the Derby itself? Does a 2-year-old newcomer race at Hanshin count? Nearly eight months before he finished ninth in the 2016 Derby, Japan-based Lani made his debut as a 2-year-old in a 1¼-mile race. Well, actually, it was 2,000 meters. Fusspots will say that that is about 13 yards short of the Derby distance. Whatever.

“That was only the most recent example. Darren Rogers of Churchill Downs found three more long European preps for Derby starters. In 2002 Essence Of Dubai was ninth in the Kentucky Derby after racing 2,000 meters in the UAE Derby, and Castle Gandolfo was 12th after going 2,000 in the previous autumn’s Criterium de Saint-Cloud. In 1992 Thyer finished 13th at Churchill after going a legitimate 1¼ miles the month before in the Kentucky Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield, England.

“And then Rogers discovered a U.S. prep that was not just as long as the Derby. It was longer. In 1991 Paulrus was seventh at Churchill just 13 days after being disqualified from first to second in a turf allowance at Dueling Grounds — now Kentucky Downs. That race covered 1½ miles.

“But no matter what the past said, giving present-day 3-year-olds an earlier chance to go 10 furlongs will take some of the mystery out of betting the Derby. For the horses that come back from the Travers, the question of ‘can he get the distance?’ will already be answered. That means that horses that look good and finish strong that day at Saratoga will be bet into much shorter odds on Labor Day weekend at Churchill. And even before.

“If Tiz The Law were to pull off the Belmont-Travers double, he could be the shortest-priced Derby favorite since Big Brown went off at 2-1 in 2008. What would the difference be if that Travers victory were, say, 1⅛ miles rather than 1¼? A group of oddsmakers and horseplayers agreed that under these circumstances, if the Derby were to fill to its 20-horse limit, Tiz The Law might be anywhere from even money to 5-2. But if the Travers would have been nine furlongs, that range would be 2-1 to 3-1.

“By the way, Circa Sports here in Las Vegas just posted the first domestic Belmont Stakes futures Friday. Tiz The Law opened at +195 — nearly 2-1.

“Let’s face it. Under any conditions, the odds bar will not be set very high if Tiz The Law keeps winning. It is just a matter now of where and when. And maybe how far.”

Ron Flatter is a host and reporter who covers horse racing for the Vegas Stats & Information Network, which is available at SiriusXM 204 and to subscribers at VSiN.com. He also hosts the Ron Flatter Racing Pod. On the current episode, XBTV’s Millie Ball Yakteen discusses the Triple Crown trail, trainer John Shirreffs talks about Honor A. P.’s rematch with Authentic in Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby, and Chris Andrews and Kate Hunter handicap weekend races in the U.S. and Japan. To listen, just click here.

Santa Anita review

Friday’s feature was the only allowance on the card, a 1 1/8-mile race on the turf for fillies and mares. It was a mild upset as Catch The Eye went four wide into the stretch to win by 2 ¾ lengths.

Catch The Eye paid $20.40, $7.40 and $5.00. Muchly was second and Unicorn finished third.

“She’s got the pedigree to run all day,” winning trainer David Hofmans told Mike Willman of Santa Anita. “I trained her dam and she was all distance. Yes, I think she can run in graded stakes, no problem, as long as we’ve got enough ground.”

Aaron Gryder was the winning jockey on his 50th birthday.

“She was in the bridle the whole way,” Gryder said. “She definitely stepped forward, but I think more than anything, it was the mile and one eighth that helped her. Last time she really ran good, moved up to second turning for home, [but] she just can’t quicken. She’s got a high gallop to her, that she just keeps on that same pace.”

Santa Anita preview

Big day with 11 races, seven of those are stakes and another debuts a $3.65-million purchase, Cezanne. First post is 12:30 p.m. Noon would have been better.

Let’s get right to them.

$100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes. This is for Cal-bred fillies and mares going a mile on the turf. Super Patriot is the 2-1 favorite for trainer Richard Baltas and jockey Flavien Prat. He’s coming off a lackluster performance in the Buena Vista but finished third in the Megahertz, a Grade 3, the previous race. So she is coming down in class.

Morning linemaker Jon White, and newsletter contributor, couldn’t split the second choice, at 5-2, between Warren’s Showtime for Craig Lewis and Jorge Velez and Cordiality for Tim Yakteen and Umberto Rispoli. It’s the first race, so look for it at 12:30 p.m.

$75,000 Desert Code. This one is 5 ½ furlongs on the turf course, the new substitute for the downhill turf course, for 3-year-olds. She’s So Special, the only filly in the six-horse race, is the 2-1 favorite for Peter Miller and Prat. The lightly raced filly has won three of eight lifetime and is coming off an allowance win. This is her first stakes race.

Again, we have co-second favorites in El Tigre Terrible for Miller and Ruben Fuentes and Rookie Mistake for Doug O’Neill and Mario Gutierrez. Post is around 2 p.m.

Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks. This is usually a big race but with only four entrants, this 1 1/16 race for 3-year-old fillies lacks a lot of attention. The favorite, at 6-5, is Swiss Skydiver, a shipper, for Kenny McPeek and local jockey Mike Smith. She is coming off wins in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks and the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn. She looks formidable with three wins in six starts.

The second favorite is Speech at 8-5 for Michael McCarthy and Prat. She has won one of five races, a maiden special, but had a nice second in the Santa Ysabel behind Donna Veloce. There is no show betting on the race, which is set to go around 2:32 p.m.

$100,000 Crystal Water Stakes. This is another Cal-bred race for horses going a mile on the turf. Prince Earl is the 2-1 favorite making his first start this year for Phil D’Amato and Rispoli. He’s been running at a high level with his last win three back in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile Handicap. His last race was a fifth in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 30. He has won three of seven lifetime.

The second favorite, at 3-1, is Ward ‘n Jerry for Mike Puype and Prat. He’s coming off a win in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey on March 21 with Prat aboard. The 7-year-old gelding has won six of 20 lifetime. Post is listed for 3:34 p.m.

Grade 1 $400,000 Santa Anita Derby. This is the big one. It’s 1 1/8 miles, the same distance as this year’s Belmont Stakes, and worth 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points for the winner. It looks like a two-horse race between Authentic, at 4-5, and Honor A.P., at 9-5, who ran one-two in the San Felipe on March 7.

Authentic is undefeated in three starts for Baffert and Drayden Van Dyke. Honor A.P. runs for Shirreffs and Smith. We’ve got a full preview on our website and in print. Just click here. Post is listed at 4:09 p.m.

$150,000 Cinema Stakes. This is a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds. Hariboux is the 8-5 favorite for Jeff Mullins and Rispoli. He is coming off a win in the Pasadena Stakes. He has won five of 10 lifetime, although his first five races were in Britain.

K P All Systems Go is the second choice at 9-5 also for Mullins. Abel Cedillo is the jockey. This is his first stakes race, but he has won his last two, a maiden and allowance/optional claimer. He has won two of six. Post is set for 4:52.

Grade 1 $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup. We go into how this race got its name back at the top of this newsletter. It’s 1¼ miles for older horses and a small (six horses) but decent field. Higher Power is the 9-5 favorite for John Sadler and Prat. He won last year’s Pacific Classic and was third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. But his last race was a disappointing 10th in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park. The 5-year-old has won five of 16 lifetime races.

Improbable is the 2-1 second choice for Baffert and Van Dyke. He was the Kentucky Derby favorite last year and finished fourth after Maximum Security was disqualified. Two weeks later he finished sixth in the Preakness. He did win the ungraded Shared Belief at Del Mar but didn’t hit the board in the Pennsylvania Derby and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. His last race was a second in the Oaklawn Mile.

That’s one heck of a card. The only downside is that the field sizes aren’t particularly strong. Here they are, in order: 6, 7, 6, 6, 4, 7, 8, 7, 7, 6, 9.

Ciaran Thornton’s SA pick of the day

RACE ONE: No. 1 Sedamar (5-1)

Sedamar is 5-1 and has won three of the last four and has the top speed in this race. Trainer Shelbe Ruis owns the horse as well. It is always a bonus for me for small stables to win on value horses. This is the first race since January but we have a couple of best-of-the-day workouts in preparation and with the horse racing protected the works mean more. Yes, this is a jump in class compared to others but the 5-1 price is excellent value. Sedamar has as much speed as the top choices and has the best closing kick by far. The horse also likes the inside post.

Friday’s result: Indy Jones ended up being the better Val Brinkerhoff horse and took the lead briefly in the stretch before running second with Evin Roman riding. Bob’s Sniper, the horse Abel Cedillo landed, ran fourth. Roman is a jockey to watch right now.

Ciaran Thornton is the handicapper for Californiapick4.com, which offers daily full card picks, longshots of the day, best bets of the day.

Golden Gate weekend preview

Here’s our weekly look at the best racing going on at Golden Gate Fields. We’re delighted to have race caller and all-around good guy Matt Dinerman as our host for previews and other musings. So, take it away, Matt.

“A solid late Pick 4 is in play on Saturday, with a competitive sprint to kick off the sequence, a maiden special as leg three and an allowance turf sprint to end the wager.

“Trainer Blaine Wright sends morning-line favorite Anyportinastorm and Baja Sur in our feature and second leg of the late Pick 4 on Saturday, the Albany Stakes for turf sprinters. The Albany is five furlongs and is the ninth race on an 11-race program. Anyportinastorm won the Lost in the Fog Stakes here last year and hasn’t been seen since a nose loss in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile. Baja Sur, winner of the Oakland Stakes against older as a 3-year-old last year, makes his turf debut and comes off a four-month vacation. Leading jockey Juan Hernandez has ridden both horses and opts to stick with Anyportinastorm.

“Doug O’Neill campaigns the only Southern California entrant in the race, What’sontheagenda, a son of Dialed In who finished second in the Jan. 26 Clockers Corner Stakes and the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes last year. He draws the outside post in the field of nine. Others that figure to get play include Mike’s Tiznow, who won this race last year and looks to defend his title coming off a year vacation, and the well-bred Scat Daddy colt Daddysprize and Golden Gate win machine Bear Chum.

“The Sunday headliner is the Golden Poppy Stakes for filly and mare routers going 1 1/16 miles on the grass. Blue Diva won the Miss America Stakes last fall on Tapeta and freshens up after an easy allowance win against another Golden Poppy candidate, stakes winner Wicked Old Fashion, in an allowance race in February. The last time we saw Blue Diva race on turf, she finished fourth in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes. Wicked Old Fashion has won 10 of 12 lifetime on grass and will be happy to get back on that surface. Wicked Old Fashion won the Kathryn Crosby Stakes at Del Mar last year and has been a legendary claim since being taken for $14,000 by trainer Victor Trujillo in 2018.

“Trainer Manny Badilla saddles three runners in the Golden Poppy: Morning Cynn, Sloane Garden and Ziarah. Leading the Badilla charge is Ziarah, who finished ahead of stablemate Morning Cynn in a second-level allowance last out. Ziarah has won three in a row and is on a roll right now, with an affinity for both synthetic and turf that suggests she is simply a stone-cold runner. Sloane Garden comes off a first-level allowance win and wheels back in 2 1/2 weeks for her stakes debut.

“Two Southern California entrants will get bet: Desert Oasis and Meal Ticket. The former, a Neil Drysdale trainee, last finished as the runner-up in a second-level allowance and searches for black type, while the latter Santa Anita shipper is a Grade 2-placed mare from the Matt Chew barn who makes her second start off a layoff. The Golden Poppy is the seventh race on the nine-race Sunday card.”

Big races preview

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Saturday. All times PDT.

11:39 Woodbine (4): $123,200 maiden special weight, fillies and mares 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Favorite: Feeling Funny (3-1)

11:42 Gulfstream (6): $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer Stakes, Fla.-breds 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Favorite: Noble Drama (2-1)

12:30 Santa Anita (1): $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes, Cal-bred fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Super Patriot (2-1)

12:46 Gulfstream (8): $100,000 Ginger Punch Stakes, Fla.-bred fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Favorite: Kelsey’s Cross (5-2)

12:48 Woodbine (6): $108,700 allowance optional claiming, 3 and up, 5 furlongs. Favorite: Reconfigure (5-2)

12:59 Belmont (6): Grade 2 $150,000 Fort Marcy Stakes, 4 and up, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Favorite: Instilled Regard (7-2)

1:32 Belmont (7): Grade 3 $100,000 Westchester Stakes, 4 and up, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Code Of Honor (6-5)

1:46 Churchill (8): $100,000 Aristides Stakes, 4 and up, 6 furlongs. Favorite: Bobby’s Wicked One (9-5)

2:04 Belmont (8): Grade 3 $100,000 Intercontinental Stakes, fillies and mares 4 and up, 7 furlongs on turf. Favorite: Significant Form (5-2)

2:24 Woodbine (9): $112,500 allowance, fillies and mares 3 and up, 7 ½ furlongs on the turf. Favorite: Amalfi Coast (2-1)

2:32 Santa Anita (5): Grade 2 $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks, fillies 3-years-old, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Swiss Skydiver (6-5)

2:36 Belmont (9): $250,000 Grade 1 $250,000 Carter Handicap, 3 and up, 7 furlongs. Favorite: Performer (3-1)

2:50 Churchill (10): Grade 3 $100,000 Dogwood Stakes, fillies 3-years-old, 7 furlongs. Favorite: Four Graces (5-2)

2:54 Woodbine (10): $101,200 allowance, fillies and mares 3 and up, 5 furlongs. Favorite: Artie’s Princess (5-2)

3:34 Santa Anita (7): $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes, Cal-breds 3 and up, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Prince Earl (2-1)

4:09 Santa Anita (8): Grade 1 $400,000 Santa Anita Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles. Favorite: Authentic (4-5)

4:42 Santa Anita (9): $150,000 Cinema Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/18 miles on turf. Favorite: Hariboux (8-5)

5:12 Santa Anita (10): Grade 1 $300,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, 3 and up, 1¼ miles. Favorite: Higher Power (9-5)

Chris Wade’s LA pick of the day

RACE EIGHT: No. 6 Dashing Kimberly (6-1)

She’s from a small and solid shed row that can pop with a price on occasion. She broke her maiden impressively in her career debut against a productive cast of rivals and she did it with run left in the tank. In that affair 41 nights ago, this filly broke almost a length slow and gave her more experienced rivals a big head start at the start. She put forth a big run midway to reach a semblance of contention past the gap prior to blowing on by her rivals under light pressure nearing the wire. She figures to improve in just her second career start Saturday night from a perfect post for her style of racing.

Now the stars of the show, Friday’s results and Saturday’s entries.