Fighting Mad Wins The Clement L. Hirsch- Benoit Photo
Sunday’s “Win and You’re In” action sees the $200,000 Zenyatta (G2), which will award an automatic starting berth into the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1), and the $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2), which offers a berth into the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, close out the weekend.
The Zenyatta, at 1 1/16 miles, will be led by Gary and Mary West’s homebred FIGHTING MAD, who has won two straight for trainer Bob Baffert and already earned a Distaff berth when she won Del Mar’s Aug. 2 “Win and You’re In” Clement L. Hirsch (G1).
The 4-year-old daughter of 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Winner New Year’s Day is 5-for-8 lifetime, including the local Santa Maria two-back in May, and looks like a strong favorite. Michael Tabor and Alice Bamford’s HARVEST MOON, a daughter of 2010 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Uncle Mo,who is 3-for-4 lifetime,will step up and face older stakes foes after beating fellow 3-year-old fillies in Del Mar’s Aug. 22 Torrey Pines (G3) for trainer Simon Callaghan, while multiple graded stakes winning sprinter HARD NOT TO LOVE will look to break a three-race losing for trainer John Shirreffs. HANG A STAR, MESSAGE, PROUD EMMA, and SHAGHAI TRUFFLES could also run in the “Win and You’re In” Zenyatta.
The Sprint Championship, at 6 furlongs, will be led by Dan Agnew, Rodney Orr, Jerry Schneider, and John Xitco’s COLLUSION ILLUSION, who already earned a Sprint bid when he won Del Mar’s Aug. 1 Bing Crosby (G1) for trainer Mark Glatt.
The 3-year-old son of Twirling Candy beat fellow sophomores in the Laz Barrera (G3) at Santa Anita in June and is 5-for-6 lifetime. Stakes winners C Z ROCKET,who gained a “Win and You’re In”berth into the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) when he took the Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 29.DESERT LAW, FLAGSTAFF, and GIANT EXPECTATIONS could also start.
