Horse racing newsletter: Santa Anita is finally ready for its Fall meeting

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome to our horse racing newsletter as we welcome an additional handicapper for the Santa Anita meeting. You’ve heard of him. In fact, you’ve heard him. Yes, it’s Frank Mirahmadi.

As usual, let’s get to a few news items before we get to the good stuff.

--After a week’s delay because of the Bobcat Fire, Santa Anita is ready for its Autumn meeting. It’s 18 days long and everything is a three-day week. There are 12 stakes this weekend, which we’ll get to later. Santa Anita boss Adian Butler had some interesting things to say about the opening weekend. Some of the words he used were “zombie apocalypse.” Want more? Here’s the story I did for The Times web and print. Just click here.

--If you read the opening line, you figured out that Frank Mirahmadi, the track announcer at Santa Anita (and Monmouth, too), is joining our stable of contributors. Couldn’t be more excited to have him aboard. He’s joining Ciaran Thornton as a handicapper for the Santa Anita meeting. And, remember, you should treat all our picks as if they are for entertainment purposes only.

--Not a big surprise, but Trevor Denman is also skipping the Fall meeting at Del Mar as the track announcer. Larry Collmus, playing the role of Manny Mota, will once again will pinch-hit for Denman. Want to venture a guess? I’m thinking we’ve seen the last of Denman at Del Mar. Here’s the news release that Mac McBride sent out from Del Mar. Just click here.

OK, let’s get to the incomparable Jon White.

Jon White’s Preakness rankings

As always, we’re lucky to have top expert Jon White take a look at what’s happening on the Triple Crown trail. Jon makes the morning line at Santa Anita, he’s a licensed steward, and he’s the preeminent historian on racing. We’re lucky to have him. So, here we look toward the final stop on the Triple Crown trail, with our Preakness Stakes rankings, brought courtesy of Xpressbet.com.

“The $1 million Preakness Stakes will conclude this year’s Triple Crown series for 3-year-olds when it is contested at Pimlico Race Course on Oct. 3. As had been widely expected, when entries for the 1 3/16-mile event are taken and post positions drawn Monday, Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law will not be in the field to face Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

“It was announced Tuesday that Tiz the Law will skip the Preakness and run next in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Keeneland on Nov. 7. It will be his first start against older horses.

“When Tiz the Law finished second in the Kentucky Derby, it took a possible Triple Crown sweep off the table for him. That is one reason for passing the Preakness. Another is Tiz the Law did not emerge from the 1 1/4-mile Run for the Roses as well as trainer Barclay Tagg and assistant trainer and exercise rider Robin Smullen had hoped. ‘Since we have no shot at winning the Triple Crown, our big goal with this colt is of course the Breeders’ Cup with a fresh, happy horse,’ Tagg said Tuesday in a Daily Racing Form story written by David Grening. ‘He came out of his last race a little stiff, no real physical problems, but a little stiffness. We’ve taken our time coming back with him. Now he seems just right.’

“The four weeks between Tiz the Law’s 5 1/2-length win in the Travers Stakes and the Kentucky Derby has been cited by Tagg as a possible reason the colt did not have more punch toward the end of the Run for the Roses. It also seems that the New York-bred Constitution colt does not relish the main track at Churchill Downs. Tiz the Law is winless in two starts at Churchill, six for six elsewhere.

“By not participating in the Preakness, Tiz the Law will have nine weeks between the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic. This is more in tune with the time he’s had between races in his four wins this year.

“When Tiz the Law won the 1 1/16-mile Holy Bull Stakes on Feb. 1, it was his first start in nine weeks.

“When Tiz the Law won the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby on March 28, it was his first start in eight weeks.

“When Tiz the Law won the 1 1/8-mile Belmont Stakes on June 20, it was his first start in 12 weeks.

“When Tiz the Law won the 1 1/4-mile Travers Stakes on Aug. 8, it was his first start in seven weeks.

“Tiz the Law’s absence in the Preakness certainly gives Authentic a better chance to win a second jewel in this year’s coronavirus-related revamped Triple Crown series.

“Authentic provided trainer Bob Baffert with a record-tying sixth Kentucky Derby victory. Ben Jones also has won that race six times.

“With Authentic, Baffert is attempting to become the first trainer to win the Preakness eight times. Baffert currently shares the record of seven Preakness victories with R. Wyndam Walden.

“Baffert has not lost the Preakness with any of his five Kentucky Derby winners prior to this year -- Silver Charm in 1997, Real Quiet in 1998, War Emblem in 2002, American Pharoah in 2015 and Justify in 2018. American Pharoah and Justify were Triple Crown winners. Baffert’s other two Preakness winners were Point Given in 2001 and Lookin At Lucky in 2010.

“According to Baffert, Authentic came out of the Kentucky Derby ‘very, very well,’ an observation that seemed to be confirmed when the Kentucky-bred Into Mischief colt worked five furlongs in a sharp :59.20 last Saturday at Churchill Downs. It was the fastest of 38 works at the distance that morning. Authentic galloped out six furlongs in 1:12.20, then went on out seven furlongs in an excellent 1:25.20. He is scheduled to have his final workout before the Preakness at Churchill on Monday.

“Baffert also plans to start Thousand Words in the Preakness. The Florida-bred Pioneerof (cq) the Nile colt won Del Mar’s 1 1/16-mile Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 1 in his most recent start. Thousand Words was to have run in the Kentucky Derby, but he was scratched after he reared, lost his balance and fell on his side in the paddock.

“Thousand Words worked five furlongs in 1:02.40 last Saturday at Churchill Downs. That clocking not only was nothing to write home about, the video of it is far from anything to rave about when viewed on XBTV.

“Authentic is expected to be Pimlico oddsmaker Keith Feustle’s morning-line favorite, with Art Collector pegged as the second choice.

“Art Collector, like Authentic, had a sharp five-furlong workout last Saturday at Churchill Downs when he stepped the distance in :59.40. The only faster five-furlong clocking at Churchill that morning was Authentic.

“Trained by Tommy Drury Jr., Authentic is four for four this year. The Kentucky-bred Bernardini colt was not entered in the Kentucky Derby after he nicked the bulb of his left front heel with a hind hoof while galloping at Churchill Downs five days before the race. According to Drury, the heel issue was nothing major, just bad timing.

“Art Collector won the 1 1/8-mile Blue Grass Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths at Keeneland on July 11. It was his first stakes victory. He then took the Ellis Park Derby by 3 1/4 lengths at the same 1 1/8-mile trip on Aug. 9.

“The talented filly Swiss Skydiver, who finished second in the Blue Grass, remains a possibility for the Preakness, according to trainer Ken McPeek. If the Kentucky-bred Daredevil filly does start, she is a contender.

“Swiss Skydiver has logged many miles traveling. She’s won stakes races this year in Louisiana (Rachel Alexandra), Florida (Gulfstream Park Oaks), California (Santa Anita Oaks) and New York (Alabama), while finishing second in a pair of stakes races in Kentucky (Blue Grass and Kentucky Oaks).

“Daily Racing Form’s Marty McGee reported Wednesday that McPeek plans to wait until Monday morning to make a decision regarding Swiss Skydiver’s Preakness status. McPeek said Swiss Skydiver’s scheduled workout Saturday at Churchill Downs will factor into his decision.

“If Swiss Skydiver does not run in the Preakness, she will run in one of two stakes races at Keeneland, either the Spinster Stakes or Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, according to McPeek. The Spinster is for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt Oct. 4 The QEII is for 3-year-old fillies at the same distance on the grass Oct. 10. Down the road, Swiss Skydiver is slated to run in the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland.

“Five fillies have won the Preakness: Flocarline (1903), Whimsical (1906), Rine Maiden (1915), Nellie Morse (1924) and Rachel Alexandra (2009).

“Ron Flatter reported Wednesday on the website horseracingnation.com that trainer Steve Asmussen is going to run three horses -- Pneumatic, Max Player and Excession -- in the Preakness. Pneumatic is No. 4 on my Preakness Top 10 this week. Max Player is No. 8.

“Pneumatic is coming off a 2 1/4-length win in the 1 1/16-mile Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park on Aug. 15.

“Max Player finished third in the Belmont, third in the Travers and fifth in the Kentucky Derby.

“Excession has not competed since finishing second on a sloppy track to Nadal in the 1 1/16-mile Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 14. Excession was sidelined by having a knee chip surgically removed, Asmussen told the DRF’s McGee.

“Asmussen has two Preakness victories to his credit. He won it with Curlin in 2007 and Rachel Alexandra in 2009.

“Here are this week’s rankings for the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes, courtesy of Xpressbet:

1. Authentic (1)

2. Art Collector (3)

3. Swiss Skydiver (4)

4. Pneumatic (7)

5. Ny Traffic (5)

6. Thousand Words (6)

7. Mr. Big News (9)

8. Max Player (NR)

9. Mystic Guide (8)

10. Happy Saver (10)

NOTE: Last week’s Preakness rankings in parentheses”

Santa Anita preview

It may be a week late, but fans are sure to be glad to see racing return to Santa Anita. First post is the always reasonable 12:30 pm. and there are 10 races. Two of the races are stakes and half of the entire card is on the turf. The field size is decent, but the real test is when the meet is well underway, even though it is short.

Let’s get to the stakes. (And this section will get way longer for Saturday.)

Grade 3 $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes. This used to be the L.A. Woman Stakes, but was changed this year to honor Sherwood Chillingworth, who died earlier this year. He was a long-time executive of the Oak Tree Racing Assn., which used to run a meeting at Santa Anita. But, when Frank Stronach bought the track, he terminated the lease with the non-profit Oak Tree. Frank has since turned over the race tracks to his daughter, Belinda, but there was plenty of litigation. More than you wanted to know? Well, more than I want to write about. And, that’s the 10,000 feet view of things, and, no I’m not interested in getting in the weeds on something that happened when I was still middle-aged.

The favorite, at 2-1, in this 6 ½ -furlong race for fillies and mares is Qahira for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Luis Saez, who gets the mount because he’s in town to ride Maximum Security on Saturday. She has won four-of-six lifetime and has won three in a row, but all at the allowance level. The second favorite, at 5-2, is Amuse for Richard Mandella and Drayden Van Dyke. She has won two-of-nine lifetime but is coming off a second in a Grade 3.

Grade 2 $200,000 Eddie D Stakes. This was named after jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, who used to own this race when it was run at 6 ½ furlongs down the hill. Now, it’s 5 ½ furlongs, all on the flat surface. Wildman Jack is the 5-2 favorite for Doug O’Neill and Abel Cedillo. He is four-of-10 lifetime and is coming off a fourth in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby. Second favorite, at 3-1, is Big Runner, for Victor Garcia and Juan Hernandez. He has never finished off the board with three wins in six starts.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 6, 7, 9, 7, 10, 6, 7, 12, 7, 13.

Frank Mirahmadi’s SA pick

SEVENTH RACE: No. 6 El Tigre Terrible (4-1)

In the featured Eddie D. Stakes, El Tigre Terrible faces open company and older in this very tough test, but he is talented and should be rolling in the lane. He was very unlucky in the Desert Code and is better than his effort in the Oceanside indicates.

Frank Mirahmadi is the track announcer at Santa Anita Park.

Ciaran Thornton’s SA pick

NINTH RACE: No. 6 AWESOME DRIVE (6-1)

Awesome Drive has won three in a row and the last two under Umberto Rispoli for trainer Doug O’Neill. The horse drops in class off the win last out and races protected today. Awesome loves to close under Rispoli and will look to make it win four in a row Friday. Horses over 5-1 have won this race 24% of the time.

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

Los Alamitos weekend preview

Los Alamitos is the only track in California racing at night. So, let’s turn things over to marketing and media guru Orlando Gutierrez, who will tell us about things going on at Los Alamitos. Orlando, the floor is yours.

“Eagle Empire, a $160,000 purchase at the 2019 Ruidoso Yearling Sale, returns after a three-month break when he heads a high-quality group of juveniles in the featured eighth race, a $11,940 allowance at 330 yards on Friday night. First post is 6:05 p.m.

“Eagle Empire has been one of the standouts of this year’s 2-year-old class. The son of One Famous Eagle debuted with an impressive 1 1/4 length maiden win on April 10. Big things were expected from him in the trials to the Ed Burke Million Futurity on June 7, but he broke a tad slow, gained the lead but was caught at the end by Coronas Big Flash to finish second. He returns Friday after a strong bullet 220-yard gate drill on Sept. 5.

“Copauinos Best won his trial to the Ed Burke after running third in his career debut to Governor’s Cup Futurity winner Constituent. He has finished in the money in all three of his career starts and will go against Eagle Empire. Others in this race are Jess Spice, who won his debut by 1 1/4 lengths on Aug. 29, plus Heartless Creditor, who won his debut on Aug. 21. Jess Good Corona and Kingman Born will also race.

“On Saturday night, one of the meet’s strongest groups of runners will go at 1,000-yards on the eight-race card start9ng at 6:30 p.m. The $20,000 allowance feature will be headed by Rinse And Repeat, who is the track record holder at the 1,000 yards, plus stakes winner Sokudo, who defeated Rinse And Repeat by a half-length in an allowance on Sept. 5. The field also features Make It A Triple, who finished third to Sokudo and Rinse And Repeat in two weeks ago, and Chico Baby, who has a three-race win streak at this distance. Short Of Ez, a half-length winner on Sept. 6, and local winner Project Leader will also race.

“Five Quarter Horses have provisional berths to the $600,000 Champion of Champions after Curls Happy Wagon took early control and cruised to victory in last Sunday’s Grade 1, $125,000 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and upward.

“The brown mare joins Bos Time Machine (Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship winner), Dexxter (Debbie Schauf Remington Park Invitational Championship winner), Chocolatito (Vessels Maturity winner) and Gold Heart Eagle V (All American Derby winner) with presumptive berths to this year’s Champion of Champions. Five more starting spots are left for the 440-yard classic on Dec. 12.

“Ridden by Armando Cervantes for trainer Juan Aleman, Curls Happy Wagon won the ‘Millie’ at 400 yards by ¾ lengths over the 16-1 longshot Victorioso Dinastia to improve her record to eight wins in 17 career starts. Curls Happy Wagon covered the distance in :19.834 and her first-place earnings of $61,250 took her career bankroll to $308,174. This was Aleman’s record setting fifth victory in the Mildred Vessels. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Cervantes is enjoying the best year of his young riding career. The native of Pomona has won a total of 57 quarter-horse races since starting out in 2016 and 30 have come this season, including his first ever Grade 1 stakes thanks to Curls Happy Wagon.

“’I grew up around horses,’ Cervantes said. ‘My dad kept some horses at a ranch in Chino. We used to visit Los Alamitos as a kid and I always had the dream of being a jockey. Some of my brothers had the same dream as well but I was the smallest one.’

“Finally, Zoomin For Spuds scored his 12^th career stakes victory at Los Alamitos following a dominant performance in the $15,000 Catchmeinyourdreams Handicap last Saturday night. The 7-year-old gelding is now tied with champions A Ransom and Moonist for sixth place on the all-time list of stakes winners here. The only horses above them are Charger Bar and Kaweah Bar with 18 stakes wins each, Sign Of Lanty with 16, Griswold with 14 and Flight 109 with 13.”

Chris Wade’s Friday LA pick

EIGHTH RACE: No. 2 COPAUINOS BEST (7-2)

This well-bred gelding has shown a good amount of ability in each of his three career starts and the hard knocker exits a much troubled runner-up effort from a very strong and productive event. In said affair, this runner broke slow and veered inward at the gate opening to lose almost two lengths of ground at the gate opening. After the tough start, this entrant showed a big turn of foot past the gap to get into contention prior to finishing strongly at the wire for second. With a quality figure that compares favorably in here tonight, we’ll push this long strider steadily for all the board placings at a medium mutual for a super jockey/trainer (23%) combo.

Now the star of the show, Friday’s entries.