American Pharoah, Chandelier Share Santa Anita Spotlight Saturday

This race will not only decide who is the top juvenile on the West Coast, the winner will also qualify to race in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) as it is again a “Win & You’re In” qualifying event for the main event for 2-year-old colts and geldings on November 3, Future Stars Friday over this track in a month.

The American Pharoah was initially contested as the Norfolk Stakes beginning in 1970 and was renamed the Frontrunner Stakes in 2012. It is now in its fifth running named after the 12^th Triple Crown winner, who won the Frontrunner in 2014.

Other historically significant names to have won the event through the years include champions and Kentucky Derby (G1) winners Corniche, Game Winner, and Nyquist, as well as other champions/millionaires Lookin at Lucky, Dixie Union, Free House, Bertrando, Best Pal, Capote, Snow Chief, Chief’s Crown and Flying Paster.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has saddled an impressive 11 winners, including Cave Rock and Corniche in the last two years, and this year sends out Muth and Wine Me Up.

Muth was an impressive debut winner over this track back in June and came back off the slight layoff to finish second to undefeated stablemate and Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner Prince of Monaco in the Best Pal S. (G2) at Del Mar in August. He’s a $2 million son of Good Magic, who sired this year’s Derby winner Mage, so the two turns won’t be an issue and he’s been working great over this surface since coming back from Del Mar a month ago. Even-money odds suit him for a lot of reasons, chiefly his connections, but he has the talent to back it up and figures at the short price.

Wine Me Up is a son of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Vino Rosso and faces winners for the first time, as well as a route of the ground after breaking his maiden at three-quarters of a mile at Del Mar a month ago. He also has a good pedigree to support the stretch-out, but he’s facing some good horses and will need to bring his A game.

Todd Pletcher broke protocol a little and shipped Repole Stable’s maiden Be You off a fourth in the Hopeful S. (G1) at Saratoga. The Hall of Fame trainer either thinks he has a bear in this son of Curlin or doesn’t have a ton of respect for the juvenile division in California (obviously without Prince of Monaco) but it will be interesting to see how the colt fares against this field.

Raging Torrent was third in the Best Pal and fourth in the Del Mar Futurity in his last two and may have improved off those two to be a factor.

Next Level is another son of Vino Rosso seeking a first-graded win. The $20,000 yearling has already proven his purchase price a good investment of the third he was in the Del Mar Futurity last out and even a slight improvement puts him right at the door.

The American Pharoah has been carded as the day’s 9^th race with a post time of 5:11 p.m. PT. The field, in post position order:

1. Rotshchild, Tim Yakteen, Mike Smith, 12-1
2. Muth, Bob Baffert, Juan Hernandez, even
3. Next Level, Keith Desormeaux, Kent Desormeaux, 4-1
4. Wine Me Up, Bob Baffert, Ramon Vazquez, 12-1
5. Raging Torrent, Doug O’Neill, Antonio Fresu, 6-1
6. Be You, Todd Pletcher, Umberto Rispoli, 4-1
7. Indespensable, John Sadler, Geovanni Franco, 20-1
8. El Magnifico, Keith Desormaux, Hector Barrios, 15-1F

Full Field of Fillies for Chandelier

The Chandelier Stakes is now in its 55^th year and was formerly known as the Oak Leaf Stakes before The Stronach Group took over the Oak Tree Racing Association’s fall dates in 2012.  This race has traditionally been a showcase for some of the best fillies in history, let alone the West Coast.

Some of the most notable names on the winners’ list include Hall of Famers, champions, Breeders’ Cup winners, millionaires, and standout broodmares like It’s In The Air, Bold ‘n Determined, Landaluce, Life’s Magic, Sacahuista, Lite Light, Pleasant Stage, Phone Chatter, Serena’s Song, City Band, Excellent Meeting, Composure, Halfbridled, Sweet Catomine, Stardom Bound, Blind Luck, Songbird, Moonshine Memories, Bellafina, Bast, Princess Noor and And Tell Me Nolies a year ago.

Trainer Bob Baffert has saddled a record 12 winners,  three more than fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, who hasn’t raced horses on the Southern California circuit regularly for almost two decades. Retired jockey Chris McCarron was aboard five winners over his illustrious career and Mike Smith trails closely with four winners so far in his Hall of Fame career.

With division leader and Del Mar Debutante (G1) winner Tamara, Beholder’s daughter, sitting this one out the race is wide open. Todd Pletcher shipped out Mike Repole’s once-raced Scalable off a fifth-place finish in a Saratoga maiden. The local contingency is made up of Amr Zedan’s maiden winner Dua, the 5-2 favored Laurent from Pete Eurton’s barn, and the recent maiden winner Autumn Chill.

The race has been carded as the third on the day with a post time of 2:03 p.m. PT. The field, in post position order:

1. Chatalas, Mark Gladd, Antionio Fresu, 4-1
2. Scalable, Todd Pletcher, Mike Smith, 5-1
3. Pacific Rose, Doug O’Neill, Ramon Vazquez, 20-1
4. Pink Whitney, Doug O’Neill, Tiago Pereira, 20-1
5. Autumn Chill, Keith Desormeaux, Hector Barrios, 8-1
6. Gate to Paradise, John Sheriffs, Kent Desormeaux, 5-1
7. Dua, Bob Baffert, Juan Hernandez, 3-1
8. Laurent, Peter Eurton, Edwin Maldonado, 5-2
9. Potet, Ruben Gomez, Edgar Payeras, 50-1
10. Next Right Thing, Ryan Hanson, Emily Ellingswood, 30-1