Thermal primed for breakthrough in the Chillingworth, Benoit Photo
Santa Anita Park Press
ARCADIA, CA —As part of a big 10-race card Saturday at Santa Anita that features five stakes, fillies and mares will battle over 6 ½ furlongs in the Grade III, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes and 2-year-olds will be on display in the listed Speakeasy Stakes at five furlongs on turf. First post is at 1 p.m. PT.
In the Chillingworth, locally based Thermal and eastern invader Paradise Creek, both stakes winners, will look to notch their first victory at the graded level.
Thermal in May shipped to Lone Star Park in Texas and won the six-furlong Memorial Day Sprint Stakes going six furlongs for her first stakes win. She then got her second graded opportunity in the GIII Rancho Bernardo at Del Mar going 6 ½ furlongs on Aug. 16. The 5-year-old mare by Nyquist dueled on the lead with standout sprinter Sweet Azteca and proved to be second best by 4 ¾ lengths. Co-owned by By Talla Racing and trainer John Sadler, Thermal is 15: 4-1-4 with $253,117 in earnings. She’ll be ridden by Joel Rosario, who was also aboard in the Rancho Bernardo.
Paradise City comes west for trainer Saffie Joseph. In July, the 4-year-old daughter of McKinzie won the Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows going six furlongs for her first stakes win. She then tried the deep waters of the GI Ballerina at Saratoga on Aug. 15 and split the field in fifth. Owned by C2 Racing Stable, Kuehne Racing, Shining Stables et al., Paradise City has a record of 15: 4-3-1 with $397,367 in earnings. She’ll be ridden by Micah Husbands, who was previously aboard for the Saylorville win.
The Chillingworth goes as the second race at approximately 1:30 p.m. The field in post position order with weight carried: Thermal, Joel Rosario (124); No Bad Beats, Emisael Jaramillo (122); Our Moonlight, Tiago Pereira (122); Paradise City, Micah Husbands (124); Toaster, Juan Hernandez (118); Rosie Jeeks, Kyle Frey (124).
The Speakeasy Stakes attracted a field of seven juveniles, including eastern invaders Omaha Spirit and Jack Sisteron-trained Arctic Wolf.
Omaha Spirit improved to 2-for-2 for Ward on Sept. 7 when winning the Rosie’s Stakes at 5 ½ furlongs on turf at Colonial Downs. By Omaha Beach, Omaha Spirit is owned by Callahan Equine, Runnymede Farm, Edgar Harty and Jim Mastriani. He’ll be ridden by Juan Hernandez.
Arctic Wolf, a debut winner sprinting on turf in June at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet, comes west for Sisterson after a pair of stakes tries sprinting on turf in Kentucky. Most recently on Aug. 29, the son of Frosted set the pace in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs going 6 ½ furlongs before being overtaken late to finish fourth by three lengths. Arctic Wolf is owned C T R Stables, MHM Stables and John F. Goldthorpe. He’ll have Emisael Jaramillo in the irons.
The Speakeasy goes as the sixth race at approximately 3:30 p.m. The field in post position order with weight carried: Fumano’s Fire, Cristobal Herrera (122); Omaha Spirit, Juan Hernandez (121); High Pronto, Kazushi Kimura (122); Study Session, Mike Smith (122); Belleza Latina, Armando Aguilar (119); Arctic Wolf, Emisael Jaramillo (122); Off in the Corner, Joel Rosario (122).
In addition to the Chillingworth and Speakeasy, the other stakes on Saturday’s card at Santa Anita are the GI American Pharoah for 2-year-olds, an automatic qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile; GII Oak Leaf Stakes for 2-year-old fillies that awards a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies; and GII Rodeo Drive at 1 ¼ miles on turf where the winner receives fees-paid bid to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
For tickets and other information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
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