Wilshire Stakes 2024 | Santa Anita Park Picks

As the lone graded stakes winner in a field of 10, Selenaia looms a major threat for trainer Jonathan Thomas in Thursday’s GIII, $100,000 Wilshire Stakes going a mile on turf at Santa Anita Park.

With nine races Thursday, including two stakes, first post time is 1 p.m.. Admission gates open at 11 a.m. Parking and admission is free.

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Bred in Ireland, Selenaia will be making her first start since an off-the-board finish in the Dueling Grounds Oaks last September at Kentucky Downs. Two starts prior to that effort, the 4-year-old Sea the Moon filly shipped to Santa Anita and scored in the GIII Honeymoon Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Madaket Stables, Selenaia is 6: 3-0-0 with $114,630 in earnings. She will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time.

Trainer Phil D’Amato has three entered including Leisurewear, who cuts back in distance after earning minor awards in both the 1 1/2-mile Astra here Jan 21 and the 1 ¼-mile GIII Santa Ana Stake at Santa Anita Feb. 24. Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez was aboard in the Santa Ana and again has the call.

Leisurewear is owned by CYBT, Michael Nentwig, Dennis B. Tierman and Daniel Weiner. The 6-year-old mare by Kodiac is 2-5-4 in 18 starts with $176,875 in earnings.

Turnerloose makes her first start of the season for D’Amato. Last year, she hit the board in both the GII John C. Mabee going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar and the GIII Bayakoa on dirt at Los Alamitos Dec. 15.

Turnerloose, a 5-year-old Nyquist mare, is owned by Abbondanza Racing LLC, Medallion Racing, Dawn Thrash and Ike Thrash. She is 3-2-3 in 16 starts with $689,392 in earnings. Turnerloose will be reunited with jockey Antonio Fresu, who was aboard for last year’s runner-up in the Mabee.

Stay and Scam wheels back and stretches out 2 ½ weeks after earning her first stakes win in the Irish O’Brien Stakes going about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course March 17. Trained by Doug O’Neill, she was not nominated to this race and had to be supplemented by owner-breeder Reddam Racing.

Stay and Scam has won three of her last four starts with the lone defeat coming in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint here Jan. 13. The 4-year-old Square Eddie filly is 5-2-1 in 10 starts with $290,760 in earnings.