Pasadena Preview: Best of Both Worlds Square Off

ARCADIA, CA – The best of both worlds will square off Saturday at Santa Anita Park when the fleet-footed Rock Your World faces off with the thundering closer Cathkin Peak and four others in the $100,000 Pasadena Stakes.

The Pasadena is a mile-long turf route restricted to 3-year-olds. This year’s edition is the penultimate event on a 9-race card and has a local post time of 4:26 PM.

Here’s a look at the full field for the Pasadena:

1. Mac Daddy Too 10/1 – After failing to succeed in his first 3 starts (all sprints), he broke his maiden going this distance at Del Mar last November while dropping down for an $80k tag. He repeated next out in a 6-furlong sprint over this course against optional claimers but couldn’t sustain his early lead in the 6 1/2-furlong Baffle Stakes last out.

2. Cathkin Peak 8/5 – After an okay fourth on debut going 5 furlongs in his native Ireland, he was sold and sent to Phil D’Amato’s barn, where he’s done nothing but excel. He won his stateside debut going a mile at Del Mar and repeated over this course and distance last December in the Eddie Logan Stakes, both times by unleashing a deadly late kick.

3. Red Flag 3/1 – He broke his maiden going 5 1/2 furlongs over this course last October, then sprung a 10/1 upset in the 7-furlong Bob Hope Stakes (G3) on Del Mar’s dirt. He was a non-threatening fourth as the 4/5 favorite in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) last time out and should appreciate returning to turf.

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4. Commander Khai 5/1 – He stretches back out to a mile after finishing a well-beaten sixth in the Baffle last out; prior to that, he was second in the Eddie Logan and third in the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3), a mile turf route at Del Mar. His usual running style is to set the pace and try to hold on late, but he’s facing a lot of other speed here.

5. Rock Your World 2/1 – He was an easy winner on debut in a local 6-furlong sprint on January 1, winning by a fraction of what he could have done despite setting very swift opening fractions. He’s bred top and bottom to handle stretching out in distance; if he does, combine that with his early turn of foot, and he might never stop running.

6. Harlan Estate 12/1 – He returned from 2 months away to finish a rallying fourth in the Baffle, his first time sprinting since his debut when he finished fourth. He broke his maiden over this course and distance in his second route attempt but finished ninth in the DeMille. His lone work since the Baffle was a sharp 4 furlongs in :46.40, a bullet best of 44.

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