SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES
BY ED GOLDEN
Thursday, January 26

CARACORTADO EYES BREATHTAKING REPEAT IN SENSATIONAL STAR
     Caracortado, whose last-to-first victory in the Daytona Stakes was beyond Zenyetta-esque, creating a buzz in racing that is still audible, will attempt to repeat that effort in Saturday's $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes for California-breds at about 6 furlongs down the hillside turf, the same venue on which Caracortado unleashed his incredible run in the Daytona on Jan. 8.
     The Sensational Star is one of five stakes on a 10-race Saturday program that includes the Grade I Santa Monica Stakes for 4-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, at seven furlongs. The $300,000 guaranteed Santa Monica is the ninth race on a festive Sunshine Millions Day card that starts at 12 noon.
     Also on the card are the $100,000 Crystal Water Stakes for older California-breds at 1 1/16 miles; the $100,000 Valentine Dancer Stakes for older California-bred fillies and mares at one mile on the turf; and the Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
     But the marquee horse is Caracortado, a 5-year-old California-bred gelding who broke his maiden in a $40,000 claiming race at Fairplex Park and has gone on to be a graded stakes winner with earnings of $864,105.
     "I don't think the Daytona was a one of a kind race," said breeder, part owner and trainer Mike Machowsky on a summer-like Thursday morning at Clockers' Corner. "Caracortado has always had that turn of foot. He's just needed the opportunity to show it. He's always had that explosive turn of foot. The first time we ran him on the grass (in an allowance race at six furlongs on Hollywood Park's turf course in November of 2010), he came from the one hole, circled the field and won off."
     If all goes well in the Sensational Star, the Grade I, $300,000 Kilroe Mile on turf would be next on March 3, with long-range plans calling for a Breeders' Cup engagement at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 or 3.
     The field for the Sensational Star: Luckarack, Hector Berrios, 15-1; Ain't No Other, Martin Garcia, 6-1; Tamarack Smarty, David Flores, 20-1; Compari, Mike Smith, 5-2; Caracortado, Rafael Bejarano, 4-5; My Summer Slew, Alonso Quinonez, 20-1; Mega Heat, Joe Talamo, 12-1; and Red Defense, Joel Rosario, 8-1

RUMOR STEPS UP IN CLASS IN GRADE I SANTA MONICA
     Rumor, never worse than second in seven career races, makes her first start in a graded stakes Saturday, and a Grade I at that, when she runs in the $300,000 Santa Monica Stakes for older fillies and mares at seven furlongs.
     "She's doing good and she's kind of done everything we've asked of her so far, so we'll see if she's this good," said Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. "The distance should suit her."
     Rumor, a 4-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie owned by Ramona Bass, Claiborne Farms and Adele Dilschneider, will be ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who was 15 shy of 5,000 career wins going into Thursday's races.
     "I'd say he knows his way around by now," Mandella said of Smith. "I don't think he needs much practice. Rumor is nice to ride, doesn't have any peculiarities, so Mike and I will probably talk about the weather rather than strategy."
     The field for the Santa Monica: Bella Diamante, David Flores; Big Tiz, Corey Nakatani; Teddy's Promise, Victor Espinoza; Home Sweet Aspen, Joel Rosario; She's Cheeky, Joe Talamo; Rumor, Mike Smith; and Sugarinthemorning, Rafael Bejarano.

PLEASANT SURPRISE' KILLER GRACES SHARP FOR SANTA YSABEL
     Killer Graces, a maiden when she was purchased privately by Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer for a partnership, became a Grade I winner when she captured the Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 10. Next up: Saturday's Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
     The chestnut daughter of Congaree has two bullet works at Santa Anita going into the race.
     "She's training very good," said Hollendorfer assistant Dan Ward. "She was a maiden when we bought her right after her first race (second by a nose at Hollywood Park last May 11) and she's really been a pleasant surprise."
     Joe Talamo concurs. "It seems like every race she gets better and better," said the 22-year-old jockey, who has ridden Killer Graces in six of her eight races, winning three, including the Hollywood Starlet. "She's been working up a storm."
     The field for the Santa Ysabel, which goes as race three on a 10-race program: Coup de Coeur, Joel Rosario; Eden's Moon, Martin Garcia; Batalha, Chantal Sutherland; Willa B Awesome, Martin Pedroza; Lady of Shamrock, Mike Smith; Killer Graces, Talamo; and Charm the Maker, Rafael Bejarano.
     Charm the Maker blew out three furlongs on Santa Anita's fast main track Thursday in 36.60, breezing, for Ron McAnally.

FINISH LINES: CashCall Futurity winner Liaison, prepping for the Robert Lewis Stakes on Feb. 4, worked six furlongs on Santa Anita's fast main track Thursday in a bullet 1:11.80 for Bob Baffert, with owner Arnold Zetcher looking on . . . Sunday's seventh race winner, Porfido, had Eoin Harty listed as the trainer of record but he took little credit after the 10-year-old Chilean-bred won. The bay horse had been trained by Humberto Ascanio, whose stock was transferred to other conditioners after he suffered a stroke late last month. "Believe me, it was all Humberto's training," Harty said. "I put a couple of easy works into the horse. Humberto told me what to do with him and I followed the instructions to the letter of the law, so basically I was like Humberto's assistant. I just got all the glory." Ascanio, former long-time assistant to the late Bobby Frankel, is recuperating at his home . . . Trainer Mike Machowsky scratched Cayanna from Saturday's Valentine Dancer Stakes when it was discovered that she suffered an entrapped epiglottis after Monday's breeze . . . Former Anaheim Ducks Coach Randy Carlisle is a visitor at Santa Anita's FrontRunner Restaurant today . . . Going into today's races, 26 players remained alive in ShowVivor . . . Due to Saturday's early first post time of 12 noon, there will be no turf works that day.

INCLUDE ME OUT IS IN BY 4 LENGTHS IN GRADE II LA CANADA UPSET
     ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 22) -- Include Me Out escaped the shadow of Grade I winning stablemate Teddy's Promise Sunday with a burst around the far turn that expanded into a dominant 4 -length upset in Santa Anita's 38th running of the Grade II, $150,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.
     Sent off at odds of 8-1 after futilely chasing Teddy's Promise in the Grade I La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs on Dec. 31, Jay Em Ess Stable's Include Me Out willingly responded to her first assignment around two turns following six sprint races.
     Jockey Joe Talamo stepped on the accelerator nearing completion of the backstretch run, and the daughter of Include virtually exploded on the extreme outside. She was in front by the time the field of six straightened into the stretch. Include Me Out proceeded to pour it on.
     She crossed the finish line in 1:41.89. Great Hot, the 5-2 second-choice ridden by Chantal Sutherland, checked in a distant second, three-quarters-of-a-length ahead of 17-10 favorite Tiz Flirtatious and jockey Joel Rosario.
     Talamo said that after the riders of Tiz Flirtatious and third-choice Capital Plan, Rafael Bejarano, made early moves, "I just had to ease back." The turn of events was opportune. "After that, she just ran great," Talamo continued. He singled out trainer Ron Ellis. "Ron has done a great job with her coming back after the La Brea," he said. "She was so fresh and ready today, and full of run."
     "She got in behind horses," Ellis said in recalling his filly's fifth-place finish in the La Brea. "But I think being by Include, she was dying to go two turns, and it's been kind of a process getting her up to it. She fired today, that's for sure.
     "I thought she looked great the whole race. She was very relaxed, and with the pace scenario, I thought Joe had her in a perfect spot. She just looked comfortable all the way. She's just been learning coming up to this, but pedigree-wise she wanted to go two turns. I felt good about it."
     Purchased for $150,000 at sale in July of 2009, Include Me Out earned $90,000 while rewarding her backers at $19, $6.40 and $3.40. Great Hot paid $3.60 and $2.40. Tiz Flirtatious returned $2.60. Include Me Out's total earnings became $183,600 from a 3-2-0 record in seven starts.
     Ellis and Samantha Siegel, who runs Jay Em Ess Stable, will endeavor to keep their pair of standout 4-year-old fillies apart, at least, for a while. Teddy's Promise is ticketed to come back in next Saturday's Grade I, $300,000 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs.
     Marty Jones, who trains Tiz Flirtatious, said his filly encountered a few problems, but it probably was not of great consequence. "Joel (Rosario) had to get her running a little bit to try and get position," he said, "but she got a little rank. That might have affected her chance to win, but the way the winner ran, I don't know if anybody was going to beat her today. That filly ran a really good race."
     Midnight Transfer made the successful leap from maiden breaker to stakes winner in the earlier $82,500 San Pedro Stakes for 3-year-olds with a strong finish to edge Got Even by a head at the wire in 1:14.25 for 6 furlongs.
     A late-developing son of Hard Spun, Midnight Transfer had taken four races to break his maiden, but when doing so on Santa Anita's opening day, Dec. 26, he did so stunningly by 4 lengths while covering six furlongs in 1:08.
     Rosario, back aboard in the 20th running of the San Pedro, timed his chestnut colt's rally just right while bringing Midnight Transfer from next to last as the field of six turned for home. Rosario kept his mount on the rail, found an opening at the top of the stretch, and swung outside to complete the late charge.
     "Sometimes you have to get lucky when you have the inside post position and we did," said Rosario. "He finished up really strong, and I think he can run long. I think he can do anything."
     "We're hoping to stretch him out," said Carla Gaines, who trains Midnight Transfer for Warren Williamson. "We'll look at the San Felipe Stakes (Grade II, $300,000 at 1 1/16 miles on March 10). We'll see how he comes out of this. But we're very excited about how he closed."
     Got Even, who set all the pace under Corey Nakatani, held the place by 2 lengths over Let's Get Crackin with Victor Espinoza in the saddle. Drill, the 8-5 favorite who had won last September's Grade I Del Mar Futurity, tried to rally, but flattened out to finish fifth while ridden by Martin Garcia.
     "He was too far back," opined Bob Baffert, who trains Drill. "Then he made that big wide move. You just can't do that. I thought he'd be up closer, but I've got to talk to Martin."
     The second choice at 2-1, Midnight Transfer paid $6.40, $3.80 and $3. Got Even returned $4.40 and $3.60. The show price on 30-1 shot Let's Get Crackin was $5.80. The winning purse of $46,800 boosted the career earnings of Midnight Transfer to $96,050. He was purchased last April at auction for $80,000.
     After three dark days, racing will resume on Thursday at Santa Anita with an eight-race program that gets underway at 1 p.m.

SANTA ANITA STABLE NOTES
BY ED GOLDEN
Sunday January 22, 2012

ESPINOZA SEEKS THIRD IN ROW ON IMPROVING TEDDY'S PROMISE
     Victor Espinoza has ridden Teddy's Promise twice, winning each time, first in an overnight race at Hollywood Park on Nov. 15 at odds of 11-10, then in the Grade I La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita Dec. 31 at 16-1.
     It seems like yesterday Espinoza was winning the Kentucky Derby on War Emblem, but it was 2002. Now 39, the native of Mexico is enjoying a resurgence under the guidance of agent Brad Pegram, who also represents Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith.
     "He's a hard worker and it's enjoyable working for him" said Pegram, who has had Espinoza's book since last May.
     Through 18 days of Santa Anita's winter/spring meet, Espinoza was tied for third in the standings with 13 victories and among the leaders in win percentage at 18.
     Next Saturday, Espinoza seeks win No. 3 on Teddy's Promise in the Grade I, $300,000 Santa Monica Stakes for older fillies and mares at seven furlongs.
     "It looks like the difference has been the rider," Espinoza said, laughing. "Seriously, she's really nice. The first time I rode her, she hadn't run for a while and she ran a big race, although I really don't think Hollywood Park is her track.
     "But with the heart she shows and the way she ran, it was very impressive. I really liked her in the La Brea. She ran unbelievable that day and I think she's still improving. She's getting better and better. In past races, she was on the lead, but I think Ron's figured out that she's better coming from off the pace. He's done an unbelievable job with her."
     Ron would be Ron Ellis, who trains Teddy's Promise for owner/breeders Ted and Judy Nichols of Oceanside, California.
     "You don't want to fight her or take too much hold," Espinoza continued. "Ron told me to get her to relax and she'll be a much better filly, and that's what's happened. Her last three races (all wins), she relaxed and finished unbelievable."
     As for Espinoza, he keeps on rolling.
     "I'm always happy," he said, "as long as I'm safe and healthy so I can ride horses, and trying to win races."
     Probable for the Santa Monica: Beat the Blues, Miguel Mena; Home Sweet Aspen, Joel Rosario; Rumor, Mike Smith; She's Cheeky, no rider; Sugarinthemorning, Rafael Bejarano; and Teddy's Promise, Espinoza.
     Home Sweet Aspen worked six furlongs on Santa Anita's fast main track Sunday in 1:13 for John Sadler.

BEAT THE BLUES TO SHIP IN FOR SANTA MONICA STAKES
     Beat the Blues, an East Coast-based mare that has won half of her 16 career starts, will ship to Santa Anita for next Saturday's Grade I Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs.
     "She's booked on a flight Tuesday," trainer Bret Calhoun said by phone Sunday morning.
     A Florida-bred mare by Great Pyramid, Beat the Blues has won her last two starts against lesser company at Churchill Downs and the Fair Grounds, respectively. The Santa Monica would be her first Grade I start. Calhoun said regular rider Miguel Mena would be in to ride.

CARACORTADO SET FOR SENSATIONAL STAR; AMAZOMBIE EYES SAN CARLOS
     A potential showdown between Breeders' Cup Sprint champion Amazombie and electrifying Grade III Daytona Stakes winner Caracortado in next Saturday's Sensational Star Stakes was scotched Sunday morning when Bill Spawr said he would "look around the country" for a race for Amazombie, who was scratched from Saturday's Palos Verdes Stakes, and if there were no suitable races, he would run in the Grade II San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 25.
     "I'm glad we didn't run (in the Palos Verdes),' Spawr said Sunday morning. "We'll look around the country for a race, but the plan now is to run in the San Carlos."
     Amazombie, who has not run since winning the Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 5, galloped a mile Sunday. Caracortado galloped a mile and five-eighths for trainer Mike Machowsky.
     The field for the Sensational Star: Luckaruck, Hector Berrios; Ain't No Other, Martin Garcia; Tamarack Smarty, David Flores; Compari, Mike Smith; Caracortado, Rafael Bejarano; My Summer Slew, Alonso Quinonez; Mega Heat, Joe Talamo; and Red Defense, Joel Rosario

FINISH LINES: Probable for next Saturday's Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles: Charm the Maker, Rafael Bejarano; Coup de Couer, Joel Rosario; Eden's Moon, Martin Garcia; and Killer Graces, Joe Talamo . . . Santa Anita Handicap runner-up Setsuko worked seven furlongs on Santa Anita's fast main track in 1:25.20 for Richard Mandella . . . San Carlos Stakes candidate Sway Away worked four furlongs on Hollywood Park's Cushion Track Sunday in 47.80 for Jeff Bonde, while 2010 Norfolk Stakes winner Jaycito worked six furlongs handily from the gate in 1:12.20 for Bob Baffert . . . One Magical Girl, who finished fourth in today's first race, is owned by Tim Mickelson, brother of pro golfing great Phil Mickelson.  Going into Sunday's races, 27 players remained alive in Santa Anita's on line handicapping contest, ShowVivor.