Scipio breaking maiden. (Benoit Photo)
In Sunday’s $100,000 Baffle Stakes for 3-years-olds sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s Hillside Turf Course
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. —Scipio, who placed in a pair of Grade III events before breaking his maiden in his most recent start, will try Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course for the first time Sunday in the $100,000 Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds going about 6 ½ furlongs.
Scipio, trained by Richard Baltas, graduated going a mile on turf Dec. 28 at Santa Anita. The ridgling by Caravaggio will be sprinting for the first time since his debut in August at Del Mar. Prior to earning his diploma last out, Scipio was second in the GIII Cecil B. DeMille going a mile on turf in December at Del Mar and was a close-up third in the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf, also at a mile on turf, in September.
Scipio will race without blinkers for the first time in the Baffle. He will have regular rider Flavien Prat in the irons. Owned by Calvin Nguyen and Joey C. Tran, Scipio is 5: 1-1-2 with $89,000 in earnings.
Fomo Joe also cuts back in distance after a game second-place finish in the Eddie Logan Stakes going a mile on turf Dec. 29 at Santa Anita. Trained by Ryan Hanson, Fomo Joe set the pace in the Eddie Logan before being overhauled late by graded stakes winner Artislas to lose by neck. He previously won his debut sprinting five furlongs on turf at Del Mar in November.
By Instilled Regard, Fomo Joe is owned by Hanson, California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing LLC, Kevin F. O’Donnell and Thomas B. White. He will be ridden by Adrian Escobedo.
Also looming among the main threats are a pair of runners for Mark Glatt, Triple Diamonds and Freedom’s Not Free.
Triple Diamonds, a California-bred, is 2-for-2 to start his young career. A gelding by Sir Prancealot, Triple Diamonds won his debut against statebreds going five furlongs on turf in November at Del Mar and most recently won a first-level allowance for statebreds going six furlongs on turf Jan. 19 at Santa Anita.
Triple Diamonds is owned by Saints or Sinners and Seahawk Racing. He will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who was also aboard for his allowance win.
Freedom’s Not Free was switched to turf for his third start and promptly graduated when going six furlongs on Jan. 5 at Santa Anita. An Omaha Beach colt, Freedom’s Not Free is owned by Blinkers On Racing Stable, Janlois Racing LLC, Valinor Racing Stable LLC and partners. He will have Frankie Dettori aboard for the first time.
The most experienced sophomore in the field is Style Cat, who in nine starts has finished in the money in a pair of statebred stakes on dirt and also won first level statebred allowance sprinting five furlongs on turf in December at Del Mar. A gelding by Curlin to Mischief, Style Cat most recently was third in the California Cup Derby going 1 1/16 miles on dirt Jan. 18 at Santa Anita. Trained by Ruben Alvarado for owners Kirk and Judy Robison, Style Cat is 9: 2-2-2 with $154,490 in earnings. He will have Hector Berrios aboard for the first time.
First post Sunday is 12:30 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.
