The Lead:
A trio of graded stakes races are on the schedule Saturday at Santa Anita as The Great Race Place is slated to return to action. Heavy rains in the area over the past week are forecasted to give way to sunny skies and temps in the mid-60s. The turf course should have plenty of give to it for this mile and one-quarter headliner that goes as Race 8. The undercard includes the Grade 3 Palos Verdes for sprinters and the Grade 3 Las Virgenes on the Kentucky Oaks trail, both on the main track.
Field Depth:
BALLADEER and PLANETARIO are Grade 2 winners, the latter also Grade 1-placed. MISSED THE CUT is a Grade 3 winner and has placed at the Grade 2 level. That trio is pretty equal in class and strength of schedule.
Pace:
BALLADEER is a committed front-runner with the chasers projected to be IRISH PROPHET and EASTERN OCEAN. The pace looks modest and given the field size of 6 it likely won't overheat.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
1-MISSED THE CUT: Runner-up to the rising star Easter in the San Gabriel, it looks like the connections' repeated attempts at making this British export a dirt horse are coming to the realization that he belongs on turf. The mile and one-quarter trip suits him well and he'll be rallying with a chance to give trainer John Sadler a third victory in the San Marcos.
2-IRISH PROPHET: The legendary trainer Charlie Whittingham owns a record 8 San Marcos wins, but take nothing away from Neil Drysdale's 5 between 1998-2011. He'll get a chance to add a sixth with this class riser exiting a Jan. 6 allowance victory. Leading jockey Juan Hernandez has partnered with Irish Prophet in both of his lifetime wins, but this will be his first stakes test and longest bid of his career.
3-BALLADEER (pictured above): Consistent front-runner will try to take them as far as he can under 3-time San Marcos-winning jockey Victor Espinoza. Son of Distorted Humor owns a field-best 3 wins on the Santa Anita lawn, including a 6-1 wire job in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Cup in October. Freshened more than 2 months after a very busy 11-race campaign in 2024 by modern standards.
4-EASTERN OCEAN: Veteran 7-year-old was claimed for $50,000 in late October, following up with off-the-board finishes at long odds in the Hollywood Turf Cup and San Gabriel. The Fresu-Eurton combo has clicked nearly 25% in tandem. Would be the oldest San Marcos winner since fellow 7YO Vagabond Shoes in 2014; note 8-year-olds like The Tin Man and Sandpit have won this race.
5-PLANETARIO: Rallying winner of the Hollywood Turf Cup last out at Del Mar, his inconsistent '23 season also included a blowout win in Santa Anita's San Juan Capistrano. Trainer Richard Mandella has won this race 4 times with the likes of United, Johar, Sandpit and The Tin Man, some of California's top turf runners over the past 30 years.
6-SHORTMAN: California-bred is winless in 9 career starts over the Santa Anita turf and will be a longshot entrant. Late-running miler will be tested for class and stamina as he's primarily been a miler.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
BALLADEER should be clear up front, and even if he doesn't wire the field, figures to hang on for a trusted share of the exotics.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
IRISH PROPHET is in good current form for a barn that knows turf routes as well as any in the game. Should get a good trip just off the front-runner.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$45 exacta part-wheel BALLADEER over MISSED THE CUT, PLANETARIO ($90). $10 exacta BALLADEER over IRISH PROPHET.
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