Flavien Prat rides Desert Law, when the 6-year-old defends his 2019 Thor’s Echo victory. The chestnut gelding is one of two horses trainer Carla Gaines has entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Thor’s Echo Stakes for California-bred or sired horses three years old and up.
Gaines also entered Tiger Dad in the six-furlong race, which Desert Law won last June. Owned and bred by John Harris, Desert Law will be making his first start in nearly a year, since running second in the Grade I Bing Crosby at Del Mar last July 27.
Desert Law will be ridden by Santa Anita’s runaway jockey leader Prat, who worked the six-year-old Desert Code gelding six furlongs in 1:12.60 on June 5. “He was very pleased with how he went,” said Prat’s agent, Derek Lawson. “He thinks it set him up for a big effort.”
Speaking of big efforts, since racing resumed at Santa Anita on May 16, Prat has won 30 races from 94 starts, 32 percent, and been in the money 61 percent of the time.
Overall, the 27-year-old Frenchman has 75 victories, 18 more than runner-up Abel Cedillo (57) with six days left in the meet that concludes on June 21.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Prat is named to ride in 15 of 17 races Friday and Saturday, a tad over 88 percent.
The Thor’s Echo, race six:
1. Desert Law, Flavien Prat, 6-5
2. Tiger Dad, Victor Espinoza, 3-1
3. Oliver, Abel Cedillo, 6-1
4. Loud Mouth, Drayden Van Dyke, 5-1
5. Principe Carlo, Agapito Delgadillo, 3-1
2019 Thor’s Echo Replay
O’Neill Eyes Quick Return In Saturday’s Angel Flight
Doug O’Neill hopes to turn a profit fresh off a claim when he runs Biddy Duke in Saturday’s Angels Flight Stakes.
Claimed for $40,000 on May 23 by O’Neill and Joseph Besecker, Biddy Duke won that day in front-running fashion at 5 ½ furlongs.
A four-time Santa Anita training king including three straight seasons from 2004 through 2007 and in 2018-19 when he won 29 races, O’Neill and Jeff Mullins are currently tied for fifth at 16 victories each with six days remaining in the meet.
Biddy Duke, a daughter of 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern from the Ghostzapper dam Ghostslayer, is seeking her first stakes win in this, her 15th race. She has four wins with four seconds.
The field for the Angels Flight, race eight:
1. Gingham, Mike Smith, 5-2
2. Biddy Duke, Aaron Gryder, 4-1
3. Praise and Honor, Abel Cedillo, 4-1
4. High On Gin, Victor Espinoza, 7-2
5. Been Studying Her, Flavien Prat, 9-5
New 1 P.M. Post Time for Remainder of Meet
With six racing days and 11 stakes races remaining in the Winter/Spring meeting, Santa Anita moves to a 1 p.m. first post time today through closing day, Sunday, June 21.
Four graded stakes remain at the meet, the Grade III, $100,000 Lazaro Barrera for three-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs on Saturday, June 20; the Grade III, $100,000 Wilshire for fillies and mares three and up at a mile on turf also June 20; and the Grade III, $100,000 American Stakes, for three year olds and up at a mile turf Sunday, June 21.
Also on June 21, Santa Anita presents its traditional closing day feature, the Grade III, $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes for three-year-olds and up at a mile and three quarters over the Camino Real turf course.
Finish Lines
Jockey Jorge Velez has been suspended three days (June 14, 19 and 20) for causing interference on Foxborough in last Friday’s second race.
Workouts from XBTV:
United (Mandella) 6-12-20
Improbable (Baffert) 6-12-20
Audace (Puype) 6-12-20
Capo Mafioso (Baltas) 6-12-20
Honor A.P. (Shirreffs) 6-11-20
One Bad Boy (Baltas) 6-11-20
Leprino (Outside) and Lane Way (Mandella) 6-11-20
Majestic Eagle (Drysdale) 6-10-20
Santa Anita Press Release
Photo: Desert Law wins 2019 Thor’s Echo under Rafael Bejarano. Credit: Benoit Photos
