Whatmakessammyrun Heads Desert Code

ARCADIA, CA – In what will be his second start for trainer Mark Glatt, Whatmakessammyrun heads a field of six sophomores going 6 furlongs on turf in Sunday’s $75,000 Desert Code Stakes at Santa Anita.

A stirring 2 1/4-length winner of a 6-furlong turf allowance here on May 2, Whatmakessammy run’s primary opposition will come from Simon Callaghan’s Mohawk King, who was second to “Sammy” on May 2. Richard Mandella’s talented Missy P., second as the heavy favorite in a 7-furlong stakes on May 1, will take on the boys and try turf for the first time in what will be her third career start.

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With 6 out of his 7 races coming on turf, Whatmakessammyrun, who was well-beaten in a 1-mile turf stakes on March 6 at Tampa Downs, was off at 7/2 in his first start for Glatt. He rallied from off the pace, finding his best stride late while earning an 85 Beyer Speed Figure on May 2.

A Kentucky-bred colt by the Artie Schiller stallion We Miss Artie, out of the Touch Gold mare Reggae Rose, Whatmakessammyrun is owned by Sterling Racing, LLC and will be ridden back by the meet’s runaway leading man, Flavien Prat. With an overall mark of 7-2-1-2, Whatmakessammyrun has earnings of $91,730.

With 2 wins from 4 starts in England, Irish-bred Mohawk King was off at 5/1 in his U.S. debut on May 2 and proved second-best while beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Whatmakessammyrun. With Juan Hernandez riding back, Mohawk King is poised to show marked improvement with a recent race to his credit.

Owned by Isa Salman Al Khalifa, Mohawk King has 2 wins from 5 starts, with 1 of his wins coming over a synthetic surface in his final English start on September 29.

A 9 1/2-length first-out maiden winner going 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt March 12, Missy P. was subsequently made the heavy 1/5 favorite versus three other sophomore fillies going 7 furlongs in the Angels Flight Stakes May 1 but was soundly beaten while running second by 2 1/4 lengths behind her stablemate Astute.

A Spendthrift Farm homebred filly by Into Mischief, out of the Speightstown mare Greer Lynn, Missy P. was ridden in her debut by Prat but will be handled for the second consecutive time on Sunday by Tyler Baze.

Touchdown Brown (post 2, Trevor McCarthy), Enough Nonsense (post 5, Mario Gutierrez), and Love My Jimmy (post 6, Jose Valdivia Jr.) complete the lineup.

The Desert Code is race 7 on Sunday’s 9-race card and has an approximate post time of 4:00 PM.