Four Stakes Bolster Santa Anita’s Saturday Card

By Emily Shields

Four graded stakes highlight a ten-race card at Santa Anita on Saturday, with a pair of grade 1s sandwiching the other two.

Action kicks off with Race 5, the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T), which was originally slated to be run in early March. The $400,000 race drew a field of six, with #6 River Boyne (Ire) set to take action on the outside. The versatile runner can show speed or lay off, and runs well from a mile to nine panels. He has only been worse than third twice since coming to America; one of those was last out when he was fourth, beaten only a length and a quarter, in the Thunder Road despite a rough trip. He has won six of seven tries on this course.

Rivals include #5 Next Shares (3-1), a grade 1 winner last fall who was a grade 2 winner here in January and has not raced since running seventh in the Pegasus World Cup Turf. #4 Catapult (8-5) was fourth in that same event, and was also second in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T) last November.

Race 6 is the $200,000 San Carlos (G2) for older sprinters. #1 Kanthaka (3-1) was second here behind Roy H in the Palos Verdes January 19; there is no Roy H here today. #2 Ax Man (5-2) won over this trip on February 8 with a Beyer Speed Figure of 97. #4 St. Joe Bay (5-1) has been top three in 10 of 13 tries over the course. #7 Solid Wager (5-1) returns from New York where he won the grade 3 Toboggan.

Race 7 is the $100,000 Santa Ana (G3T) featuring eight older fillies and mares. #8 Tell Me More (10-1) for Peter Miller is coming off a win over this course, has never been worse than third here, and seems to be improving after a slow beginning. She faces #6 Elysea’s World (Ire) (5-2), a grade 3 winner at Monmouth three back, and #2 Streak of Luck (3-1), who was second in the grade 2 Buena Vista here February 23. Race 9 is the $400,000 Beholder Mile (G1) for older fillies and mares. Formerly run in the summer, the race was originally slated for March 16. #5 Marley’s Freedom (4-5) will stretch back out to a mile; although regularly a sprinter, she did win the Go For Wand Handicap (G3) at a mile at Aqueduct two back. She has won six of her last seven starts. #2 Selcourt (5-1) has never been worse than third here, was a standout sprinter over this course last winter, and has been second in two tries this year going shorter. This is her first attempt around two turns.