Shocking Grey. (Benoit Photo)
GII Santa Margarita: Princess Of Time In With Upset Chance
• Works: Citizen Bull, Vodka With A Twist Lead Tab
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Stable Notes By Victor Ryan
ARCADIA, Calif.—Trainer George Papaprodromou on Saturday will saddle two of the top choices in the Fran’s Valentine Stakes, Sneaker (3-1) and Shocking Grey (9-2), and the 9-2 third choice in the Crystal Water Stakes, Clouseau (9-2). The Fran’s Valentine and Crystal Water are two of five stakes for horses bred or sired in California on Saturday’s 10-race program.
In the Fran’s Valentine for fillies and mares at one mile on turf, Sneaker and Shocking Grey will look to upend 2-1 program favorite Prancingthruparis, who is trained by Peter Eurton. Sneaker drops in with statebreds following a solid third-place effort at 23-1 in the GIII Royal Heroine, also at a mile on turf April 26 at Santa Anita. That day she raced farther back than her normal style, closed to within a half-length of the lead at the eighth pole and finished behind legitimate graded stakes horses Public Assembly and Sun of Hill.
“She had to check a little bit on the first turn and fell back some, then closed OK,” Papaprodromou said. “I thought it was a pretty good effort.”
The Fran’s Valentine will be Sneaker’s third start following a five-month layoff. The 4-year-old Oscar Performance filly will break from the rail under new rider Kazushi Kimura.
Shocking Grey stretches out in distance following a pair of sprints on the hillside turf course. They were her first starts for Papaprodromou and owner Rockingham Ranch after selling for $170,000 at the CTBA Winter Mixed sale in January. Previously a stakes winner when trained by Jeff Mullins, Shocking Grey in her first start for her new connections finished behind winner Prancingthruparis in the Irish O’Brien at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course.
“We’re going to try and go long with her now, stretch her out and see how that works,” Papaprodromou said. “Hopefully she appreciates going a little longer. She’s going to come from off the pace and maybe the added distance will help.
Shocking Grey, third in last year’s Fran’s Valentine, will have Juan Hernandez aboard.
In the Crystal Water, Clouseau steps back into the stakes ranks. He was claimed by Papaprodromou and owner Giddyup JR LLC out of a statebred allowance/optional claimer in March. In his first start for his new connections, Clouseau was switched to turf and promptly rolled to a 2 ¼-length victory going a mile on April 26.
“He won impressively the other day,” Papaprodromou said. “He’s a horse that’s really improved a lot.
A 5-year-old gelding by Distorted Humor, Clouseau will have top turf rider Hector Berrios aboard. Headlining the Crystal Water is odds-on favorite Kings River Knight, who’s seeking a third consecutive win in the Crystal Water for trainer John Sadler.
GII Santa Margarita: Princess Of Time In With Upset Chance
The key principles in Sunday’s GII Santa Margarita are 6-5 favorite Splendora and Seismic Beauty (3-1), both trained by Bob Baffert; and graded stakes winners Where’s My Ring (5-2) and Alpha Bella (5-1). But if you ask trainer Michael McCarthy, the contention doesn’t end there. He believes his filly, 12-1 longshot Princess of Time, is also in with a legitimate chance.
“I think she fits with these,” McCarthy said Saturday.
Princess of Time most recently returned from a 12-plus month layoff against males in a second-level allowance going a mile on March 28 at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old mare by Not This Time pressed the pace that day and finished evenly to be third behind winner Il Bellator, who returns in Monday’s GII Hollywood Gold Cup; and runner-up Bartholdy, who is Grade III-placed.
“Unfortunately, we had to run her against the boys off an extended layoff, but I thought her race was very respectable,” McCarthy said. “Now we’re going to try a mile and an eighth. She’ll need to show she can handle the distance, but I don’t think she needs to step forward from an ability standpoint.”
Princess of Time was ridden by then apprentice Serafin Carmona in her comeback but will have Kazushi Kimura in the irons on Sunday. They will break from post two in a field of six, though that number could be reduced. Where’s My Ring is entered in both the Santa Margarita and Monday’s GI Gamely on turf. On Saturday morning, trainer Peter Miller said Where’s My Ring would be scratched from the Gamely and could also be withdrawn from the Santa Margarita in favor of an alternative spot.
Works: Citizen Bull, Vodka With A Twist, Spirit Of Makena On Tab
Champion Citizen Bull and multiple Grade I-placed filly Vodka With a Twist each worked six furlongs Saturday at Santa Anita. Other notables on the tab included multiple graded stakes winner Tenma, Grade II winner Spirit of Makena and Grade II-placed Judge Miller. Both Spirit of Makena and Judge Miller are nominated to next Saturday’s GIII Triple Bend.
Citizen Bull, trained by Bob Baffert, was clocked for six furlongs in 1:12.20. It was his second work since finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby on May 3.
Vodka With a Twist, trained by Phil D’Amato, was also timed in 1:12.20. The 3-year-old filly by Into Mischief was scratched from the Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico during Preakness week. Vodka With a Twist finished second in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar and in her only start this year, was third in the GII Santa Anita Oaks on April 5.
Tenma, also trained by Baffert, drilled four furlongs in 48.60 seconds. It was her first work since finishing fourth in the Kentucky Oaks on May 2. Prior to the Kentucky Oaks, the 3-year-old Nyquist filly reeled off wins the GII Santa Anita Oaks, GIII Las Virgenes and GII Starlet. She also won last year’s GI Del Mar Debutante for owner Baoma Corp.
Spirit of Makena worked five furlongs in 1:04.20 for trainer George Papaprodromou. A 6-year-old Ghostzapper horse, Spirit of Makena most recently returned from an 18-month layoff with a promising third-place finish in the GIII San Carlos on March 29 at Santa Anita.
Judge Miller, trained by Mark Glatt, worked four furlongs in 48.40 seconds. By Curlin out of multiple Grade I winner Cavorting, Judge Miller returned from an 11 ½-month layoff May 4 and promptly scored in a high-level allowance going 6 ½ furlongs at Santa Anita.
FINISH LINES
Santa Anita has a special 11-race card set for Memorial Day featuring theGI Shoemaker Mile, GI Gamely and GII Hollywood Gold Cup. First post is 1 p.m. PT. On-track patrons will receive $1 beers and sodas and $2 hot dogs…
Seven-pound apprentice jockey Alfredo Bautista won two races Friday, which were the fourth and fifth victories of his career. The native of Mexico has been riding in the U.S. since last July. Bautista won the third race onSunset Storm ($6.80) for trainer Val Brinkerhoff and the eighth race with longshot Sand to Sea ($19.40) for trainer Gary Stute…
Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 2:40 p.m. PT with the 10th race from Gulfstream Park…
Santa Anita simulcast host and analyst Millie Ball will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:50 a.m. PT.
