Horse racing notes: Big City Lights tries to extend streak at Santa Anita

Big CIty Lights and jockey Flavien Prat, front, overpower Hopkins with Juan Hernandez aboard to win the Palos Verdes Stakes on Feb. 10, 2024, at Santa Anita Park. (Benoit Photo)

SANTA ANITA LEADERS

(Through Thursday)

Jockeys / Wins

Antonio Fresu / 21

Juan Hernandez / 20

Umberto Rispoli / 18

Kyle Frey / 17

Edwin Maldonado / 15

Trainers / Wins

Mark Glatt / 11

Phil D’Amato / 11

Steve Knapp / 10

Doug O’Neill / 10

John Sadler / 9

WEEKEND STAKES

SANTA ANITA

Saturday

• $200,000, Grade II Triple Bend Stakes, 4-year-olds and up, 7 furlongs

• $100,000, Grade III Honeymoon Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 1-1/8 miles on turf

Sunday

• $100,000 Desert Stormer Stakes, fillies and mares, 4 and up, 6 furlongs

DOWN THE STRETCH

• Santa Anita’s stakes Saturday have horses trying to climb the class ladder. Big City Lights (Kyle Frey riding), winner of the Grade III Palos Verdes Stakes last time out, shoots for a third win in a row in a four-horse edition of the Grade II Triple Bend. Shiloh’s Mistress (Umberto Rispoli) and Circle of Trust (Antonio Fresu), second and third to Medoro in the Grade III Providencia, seek a first stakes win in the Grade III Honeymoon.

• Art Wilson, the horse-racing writer for this and other Southern California News Group papers who died Feb. 18 at age 71, will be honored with a race named for him at Santa Anita on Sunday.

• Santa Anita named Jeff Siegel morning-line oddsmaker to succeed Jon White, who announced his retirement effective at the end of this season June 16. Siegel is a widely respected handicapper who has made selections for the Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune as well as on track websites and TV shows.

•  Juan Hernandez was Santa Anita’s hottest jockey last week, riding six winners to move up to second in the standings. Hernandez won the Crystal Water Stakes with Kings River Knight and the Snow Chief Stakes with Shady Tiger among four victories Saturday, and the Santa Margarita Stakes with Adare Manor on Sunday.

• Up To Party is the fastest qualifier for the June 16 Ed Burke Million Futurity at Los Alamitos after running 350 yards in 17.583 seconds in one of 12 trials Sunday. Up To Party and Fear N Fridays (17.77) were both ridden by leading quarter-horse jockey Armando Cervantes; they and Laredeaux (17.831) were saddled by top quarter-horse trainer Monty Arrosa.

• The Belmont Stakes on June 8 is the target for at least a dozen, according to reports. Confirmed are Preakness winner Seize the Grey, Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone, Honor Marie and Dornich. Under consideration are Derby winner Mystik Dan, Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna, Fierceness, Tuscan Gold, Antiquarian, Batten Down, Mindframe, Protective and The Wine Steward.

• Frustration continues at Golden Gate Fields as the Albany, California track nears its final day June 9. There’s no racing Friday, making it the sixth card to be canceled in April and May because too few horses were entered.