Spirit of Makena conquers the San Carlos back in 2023 (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — After being sidelined for 18 months, multiple graded-stakes winner Spirit of Makena returns Saturday trying to win a second edition of the Grade III, $100,000 San Carlos Stakes going seven furlongs at Santa Anita.
Trained by George Papaprodromou, Spirit of Makena won the San Carlos in 2023 just prior to adding a second graded victory in that years GII Triple Bend also at Santa Anita. The now 7-year-old horse by Ghostzapper hasn’t started since Sept. 30, 2023 when finishing last in the GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship.
Spirit of Makena returned to the work tab in December at Santa Anita. He drilled only twice in January, but since Feb. 2 has clicked off six works for his comeback including a five-furlong move in 1:00.40 on Sunday. Owned by Kristine M. Chandler, Spirit of Makena is 8: 4-1-0 with $353,600 in earnings. He will have Kyle Frey.
Trainer Bob Baffert entered both Grade III winner Fort Bragg and Pilot Commander, who returns to the stakes ranks after a dominant win in a second-level allowance going six furlongs Feb. 1 at Santa Anita.
Fort Bragg will be making his 5-year-old debut for owners SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables et al. Most recently, the full horse by Tapit won a six-furlong classified allowance when coming from slightly off the pace Dec. 1 at Del Mar. He will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time.
Fort Bragg, whose lone graded stakes win came in last year’s GIII Dwyer going a mile at Belmont Park, is 15: 4-3-3 with $472,400 in earnings.
Pilot Commander scored by 2 ½ lengths in the aforementioned allowance win while also coming from slightly off the pace. Previously, Pilot Commander set the pace in the GI Malibu going seven furlongs before fading to fourth on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old colt is owned by CSLR Racing Partners and will have regular rider Juan Hernandez aboard. He is 6: 3-2-0 with $180,600 in earnings.
THE GIII SAN CARLOS STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT
- Pilot Commander—Juan Hernandez—120
- Fort Bragg—Kazushi Kimura—124
- Spirit of Makena—Kyle Frey—124
- For All Mankind—Antonio Fresu—120
- Vlahos—Edwin Maldonado—122
First post Saturday is 1 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.
