SANTA ANITA LEADERS (Through Thursday)
JOCKEYS / WINS
Juan Hernandez / 44
Flavien Prat / 22
Frankie Dettori / 19
Edwin Maldonado / 16
Two tied / 15
TRAINERS / WINS
Philip D’Amato / 22
Bob Baffert / 21
Doug O’Neill / 20
Steve Knapp / 16
Two tied / 13
WEEKEND STAKES AT SANTA ANITA Friday
• $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up bred in CA, 6½ furlongs downhill turf course
Saturday
• $100,000 China Doll Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1 mile (turf)
Sunday
• $100,000 Sensational Star Stakes, 4-year-olds and up bred in CA, 6½ furlongs downhill turf course
DOWN THE STRETCH • Trainer Simon Callaghan has high hopes for 4-year-old filly Ballet Dancing, who won last weekend’s Grade III Santa Ana Stakes for older fillies and mares at Santa Anita. Saying that Ballet Dancing has “a lot of good days in front of her,” Callaghan said he’ll probably keep the filly home and run next in the $100,000 Grade III Santa Barbara Stakes at Santa Anita on April 30. Is she Breeders’ Cup good? “You hope she can be a Breeders’ Cup filly, but she’s got to move up a little bit,” Callaghan told Santa Anita publicity.”
• National Treasure has returned to light training after a bruised foot forced him to be scratched from the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 4. Tom Ryan, managing partner of National Treasure’s ownership group, posted on Twitter that the connections are “very pleased with the progress he’s made.” Ryan added: “Looking to get him back on the work tab when the latest weather system clears out.” The goal is for National Treasure to have one more start in a Kentucky Derby prep so he can earn enough qualifying points to run in the Kentucky Derby.
• Due to this week’s heavy rain, the turf chute will not be available this weekend at Santa Anita. Any turf race in the condition book or on the overnight that was scheduled for 6 or 6½ furlongs will now be run at 5½ furlongs. For Sunday, this applies to the fourth race. This does not include the hillside turf course.
— Art Wilson
