Seal Team wins the Twilight Derby (G2) Nov. 4, 2023, at Santa Anita (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — Grade II winners Seal Team and Air Force Red headline a field of nine older horses entered in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Seal Team, trained by Richard Mandella, most recently finished a solid third in the GII San Gabriel Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on turf on opening day of the Santa Anita Classic Meet Dec. 26. He finished just 1 ¼ lengths back of winner Johannes, who was a 2024 finalist for champion turf horse.
Seal Team will be seeking his first stakes win since the 2023 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita. A homebred for Perry Bass II and Ramona Bass, the 5-year-old horse by War Front is 8: 3-1-2 with $290,776 in earnings. He will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli.
Air Force Red was the morning line favorite in Sunday’s Clockers’ Corner Stakes but was scratched after the race was moved to the main track because of rain. Trained by Leonard Powell, Air Force Red most recently was a troubled seventh in the GII Joe Hernandez sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.
A 7-year-old ridgling by Air Force Blue, Air Force Red is 22: 6-3-1 with $639,074 in earnings for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Holly Golightly. He will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.
El Potente returns to the stakes ranks in top form for trainer Dan Blacker. On Jan. 4 at Santa Anita, El Potente was a clear two-length winner going a mile on turf in a second-level allowance. In his only previous stakes try in October, El Potente was beaten less than a length in the restricted Lure Stakes going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
A 6-year-old horse by Temple City, El Potente is owned by My Way Racing. He has a record of 13: 5-2-2 with $186,796. Jockey Hector Berrios, who was aboard for his most recent allowance win, has the call.
THE GIII THUNDER ROAD WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT
- Cabo Spirit—Kent Desormeaux—124
- Air Force Red—Juan Hernandez—122
- Zio Jo—Tiago Pereira—120
- Lammas—Assael Espinoza—124
- Astronomer—Frankie Dettori—122
- Wizard of Westwood—Kyle Frey—122
- El Potente—Hector Berrios—120
- Packs A Wahlop—Antonio Fresu—124
- Seal Team—Umberto Rispoli—124
With 10 races Saturday, including four stakes, first post time is 12 p.m. PT. Admission gates will open at 10 a.m.
