Santa Anita Stable Notes: San Pasqual Hinges on Dortmund's Sunday Workout

SAN PASQUAL HINGES ON DORTMUND’S SUNDAY WORKOUT
BAFFERT MULLS ROBERT B. LEWIS STAKES FOR MOR SPIRIT
GRADE II MONROVIA MARKS STAKES DEBUT FOR ILLUMINANT

DORTMUND WORKS SUNDAY FOR SAN PASQUAL START

Dortmund, an equine version of The Big Red Machine, is scheduled to work Sunday

morning, after which Bob Baffert will decide to enter the 2015 Santa Anita Derby winner against California Chrome in next Saturday’s Grade II San Pasqual Stakes.

California Chrome, the 2014 Horse of the Year who also won the Santa Anita Derby that year, arrived from his Los Alamitos headquarters early Friday morning to prepare for the San Pasqual, which offers $200,000 in purse money and will be decided at 1 1/16 miles.

Hoppertunity, who won the San Pasqual last year, is likely to defend his title for Baffert after working seven furlongs Saturday morning in a bullet 1:25.20 in company with Cat Burglar, who was clocked in 1:25.40. Martin Garcia was aboard Hoppertunity.

California Chrome worked at 11:48 a.m. Saturday prior to the first race at 12:30, going six furlongs steadily and smoothly under Victor Espinoza in 1:10.04. His fractional times were 23.65, 46.66 and 58.30.

Probable for the San Pasqual: Alfa Bird, Tyler Baze; California Chrome, Victor Espinoza; Dortmund; Hard Aces; Hoppertunity; Imperative, Mario Gutierrez; Mystery Train; and Point Piper, Rafael Bejarano.

Hard Aces worked six furlongs for John Sadler Saturday in 1:12.80.

MOR SPIRIT COULD MAKE THREE-YEAR-OLD DEBUT IN LEWIS

Mor Spirit, the latest in a long line of Triple Crown contenders for Bob Baffert, could make his three-year-old debut in the Grade III, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 6, the Hall of Fame trainer said Saturday.

A son of Eskendereya, Mor Spirit won the Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 19 by a length and a quarter over stablemate Toews on Ice, who also is being considered for the Lewis, Baffert said.

ILLUMINANT SHARP FOR FIRST STAKES TRY IN MONROVIA

Streaking Illuminant makes her first stakes start in Sunday’s Grade II, $200,000 Monrovia for older fillies and mares at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

The four-year-old daughter of Quality Road won by nearly seven lengths over the hillside turf course on Oct. 10, then came back to win an overnight race on grass by 3 ½ lengths going 1 1/16 miles.

“The filly’s training well; we’ve always thought she had some ability,” said trainer Mike McCarthy of the Pennsylvania-bred owned by Aron Wellman, who campaigns as Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners.

McCarthy and Wellman got the New Year off on a winning note when their Longstocking captured yesterday’s second race by a length and a half under apprentice David C. Lopez at a $21.80 return.

“Illuminant had a couple of baby issues and we had to give her some time off, but she certainly hasn’t disappointed us since she’s come back.”

The field for the Monrovia: Singing Kitty, Gary Stevens, 8-1; My Year Is a Day, Tyler Baze, 20-1; Heavens Stairway, Ignacio Puglisi, 15-1; Our Pure Creation, Fernando Perez, 50-1; Prize Exhibit, Santiago Gonzalez, 5-1; Shrinking Violet, Kent Desormeaux, 4-1; Velvet Mesquite, Rafael Bejarano, 8-1; Illuminant, Mike Smith, 8-1; Lutine Belle, Alex Solis, 20-1; Theatre Star, Drayden Van Dyke, 15-1; Ageless, Julien Leparoux, 3-1; and Baruta, Flavien Prat, 6-1.

FINISH LINES: Impressive Del Mar maiden winner Dreyfong worked five furlongs for Bob Baffert Saturday in 1:01 flat, while Rock Shandy, second in last year’s Sham Stakes and third in the Robert B. Lewis, worked six furlongs for Peter Miller in 1:15.40 under Victor Espinoza, who declared himself “100 percent” after a minor incident in yesterday’s third race after which he took off his remaining mount, Serbian Syclone in the eighth race . . . Owner Brian Carney reports Charlie Stutts on the mend after the 74-year-old trainer broke his arm and subsequently had his left knee replaced two weeks ago following an incident involving a horse at his barn. Stutts might have a problem going through airport security, however. He has titanium in his left leg.

Source: Santa Anita Park