Santa Anita: Here are the fields for Triple Bend, Honeymoon

Big City Lights, who was scratched from last weekend’s Thor’s Echo Stakes for California-breds, takes aim at a second straight graded win in the Grade 2, $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes going seven furlongs Saturday at Santa Anita.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Big City Lights is 2-for-2 this season. He won a second-level allowance/optional going 6 1/2 furlongs Jan. 6 at Santa Anita, then came right back to take the Palos Verdes (G3) by a nose going six furlongs Feb. 10 at Santa Anita.

A 5-year-old horse by Mr. Big, Big City Lights is 9: 5-4-0 with $392,420 in earnings for owner William R. Peeples. He will be ridden by Kyle Frey for the first time.

Happy Jack makes his second start of the year after a promising comeback effort in the 6 1/2-furlong Kona Gold Stakes on April 27 at Santa Anita. After a nearly nine-month layoff, Happy Jack was beaten just three-quarters of a length by top sprinter The Chosen Vron in the Kona Gold. The Chosen Vron returned to win last Saturday’s Thor’s Echo.

Trained by Doug O’Neill for owner-breeder Calumet Farm, Happy Jack is 12: 2-2-3 with $325,560 in earnings. The 5-year-old Oxbow horse will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado for the first time.

Dr. Venkman, who showed big promise in three starts last year, makes his 4-year-old debut following a nearly seven-month layoff for trainer Mark Glatt. A gelding by Ghostzapper, Dr. Venkman graduated on debut by 5 1/4 lengths last July at Del Mar and came right back to dominate a first-level allowance by 5 1/2 lengths, also at Del Mar.

Dr. Venkman was then sent to Keeneland for a try in the seven-furlong Perryville Stakes. Sent off as the favorite, Dr. Venkman was beaten a head by Raise Cain.

Dr. Venkam is 3: 2-1-0 with $138,500 in earnings for owners Dan J. Agnew, Clint Bunch, Mark Cohen and James Hailey. He will be ridden by Antonio Fresu for the first time.

Shiloh’s Mistress looks for breakthrough in Honeymoon

Shiloh’s Mistress, who lost a heartbreaker in last month’s Providencia (G3) when making her turf debut, gets another crack at a first graded-stakes win in Saturday’s $100,000 Honeymoon Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on turf.

In the April 20 Providencia, also at 1 1/8 miles, Shiloh’s Mistress set the pace under Umberto Rispoli before losing by a nose to well-regarded Medoro. Before the Providencia, the Vino Rosso filly graduated on synthetic at Turfway Park in January and was fifth in the Santa Ysabel (G3) going 1 1/16 miles on dirt March 9 at Santa Anita.

Shiloh’s Mistress, who again will have Rispoli in the irons, is trained by Michael McCarthy for Resolute Racing. She is 5: 1-2-0 with $88,223 in earnings.

Circle of Trust also exits the Providencia for trainer Phil D’Amato. Ridden by Kazushi Kimura, the Union Rags filly finished about three-quarters of a length back of Shiloh’s Mistress in third. She will have Antonio Fresu in the irons for the first time Saturday.

Circle of Trust is owned by James E. Downey. She is 6: 1-0-1 with $59,560 in earnings.

Visually stretches back out to two turns after taking the Señorita (G3) on the hillside turf course May 5. Trained by Librado Barocio, Visually graduated going a mile on turf Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. In two other stakes appearances, the Enticed filly was placed third through disqualification in the Feb. 11 Sweet Life on the hillside turf course and was fifth in the one-mile China Doll on turf March 10.

Visually will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado, who was also aboard for the Señorita win. A $20,000 auction buy last year, she is 9: 2-1-2 with $139,400 in earnings for owners California Racing Partners and Ciaglia Racing, Fick Brothers Racing, Dario Bernardi and George Monty.

Faith Understood comes west for trainer Jonathan Thomas. She exits a promising runner-up effort after setting the pace in the listed Memories of Silver Stakes at one mile on turf at Aqueduct April 28. By Catholic Boy, Faith Understood broke her maiden at Keeneland one start earlier when going 1 3/16 miles on turf.

Owned by Robert V. LaPenta, Faith Understood was also entered in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile Regret Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. She drew the far outside in a 10-horse field and is 15-1 on the morning line.

Faith Understood, who is 3: 1-1-0 with $89,367, will be ridden by Mike Smith.