SANTA ANITA LEADERS
(Through Thursday)
Jockeys / Wins
Juan Hernandez / 33
Flavien Prat / 32
Antonio Fresu / 30
Frankie Dettori / 23
Umberto Rispoli / 18
Trainers / Wins
Mark Glatt / 20
Doug O’Neill / 18
Phil D’Amato / 16
Steve Knapp / 16
Bob Baffert / 13
WEEKEND STAKES AT SANTA ANITA
Sunday
• $500,000, Grade I Santa Anita Handicap, 4-year-olds and up, 1 1/4 miles
• $300,000, Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile, 4 and up, 1 mile on turf
• $300,000, Grade II San Felipe Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles
• $200,000, Grade II Buena Vista Stakes, fillies and mares, 4 and up, 1 mile on turf
Monday
• $100,000, Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles
DOWN THE STRETCH
• First-time national racing Hall of Fame nominees this year are Justify, Gun Runner and jockeys Joel Rosario and Jorge Chavez. California regulars remaining on the ballot are Blind Luck, Game On Dude, Kona Gold and trainers John Shirreffs, John Sadler and Doug O’Neill. Results of voting by journalists and others will be announced April 23.
• This week’s strongest Kentucky Derby steppingstone, the $400,000 Grade II Fountain of Youth Stakes in Florida (3:10 p.m. PST Saturday), drew Ramsen Stakes winner Dornoch, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile third-place finisher Locked, and fast but inexperienced Speak Easy and Victory Avenue. Winner bags 50 Derby qualifying points.
• Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, still in the game at 88, sent out the 3-year-old filly Lemon Muffin to win the Honeybee Stakes in Arkansas on Saturday at 28-1 odds.
• Señor Buscador and Ushba Tesoro, 1-2 in the $20 million Saudi Cup on Saturday, are headed for a rematch in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 30.
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• Judge Miller is a horse to watch after an 11-length win at the optional claiming level, covering one mile in 1:35.20 at Santa Anita on Saturday. The performance earned a 105 Beyer speed figure to match the highest figure in the nation in 2024. The 4-year-old son of Curlin was making his third start for trainer Mark Glatt and was ridden by Frankie Dettori.
• Trainer Dan Blacker’s horses will run in the name of assistant Juan Landeros while Blacker serves a 90-day suspension starting this week because state investigators found 527 cases of his horses not undergoing pre-workout veterinary exams over 18 months in 2022-23.
• O’Neill announced the retirement of Slow Down Andy, the Los Alamitos Derby, Del Mar Derby and Awesome Again Stakes winner who was on the 2023 Kentucky Derby trail.
— Kevin Modesti