Older males on the dirt and 3-year-old fillies on the turf, both at 1 1/8 miles, will see graded stakes action April 20 in the Californian Stakes (G3) and Providencia Stakes (G3T), respectively. Santa Anita Park offers the two stakes following its short break between its Classic Meeting and its Hollywood Meet, the latter encompassing many of the dates from the old Hollywood Park.
The Californian, a prep for the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2), is newly downgraded for 2024. A grade 2 last year when Bob Baffert-trained Defunded won, the Californian at one time was a grade 1 event, such as when Sunday Silence won it in 1990.
Baffert this year brings Mr Fisk, a two-time stakes winner in 2023, when the colt won the Shared Belief Stakes at the close of Del Mar's summer meet and then the Native Diver Stakes (G3) at Del Mar's fall meet. Mr Fisk, a son of Arrogate, most recently ran fifth in the San Pasqual Stakes (G2) after being bumped at the start and racing wide. Kazushi Kimura will ride from post 5.
None Above the Law is the veteran of the Californian field and has the services of jockey Tyler Baze from the rail. With 31 previous starts, the 6-year-old gelding has more experience than his four 4-year-old rivals combined. A four-time stakes winner, None Above the Law hasn't won since capturing the 2021 Del Mar Derby (G2T) and was claimed two starts back for $50,000. Jorge Periban now trains the California-bred son of Karakontie .
Trainer Doug O'Neill has entered Mixto (Antonio Fresu, post 3) and Mystification (Edwin Maldonado, post 4). Mixto broke his maiden last November and in three subsequent starts is twice graded stakes-placed. Mystification has a win, a second, and a third in five starts and is making his second stakes appearance.
Judge Miller, trained by Mark Glatt and to be ridden by Mike Smith from post 2, has started only three times. Second in his debut, he has since won twice, including an 11-length victory Feb. 24 in an allowance optional claimer. This is the stakes debut for the full brother of multiple grade 1 winner Clairiere.
"He's been training really well since his last race. Hopefully he'll continue to improve," Glatt said of Judge Miller. "He's a lightly raced older horse now, and obviously he's taking a step up here. We'll find out if he can pass the test."
Entries: Californian S. (G3)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 20, 2024, Race 7
- Grade III
- 1 1/8m
- Dirt
- $100,000
- 4 yo's & up
- 4:03 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1None Above the Law (CA) | Tyler Baze | 124 | Jorge Periban | 12/1 |
| 2 | 2Judge Miller (KY) | Mike E. Smith | 120 | Mark Glatt | 4/5 |
| 3 | 3Mixto (KY) | Antonio Fresu | 120 | Doug F. O'Neill | 5/2 |
| 4 | 4Mystification (KY) | Edwin A. Maldonado | 120 | Doug F. O'Neill | 12/1 |
| 5 | 5Mr Fisk (KY) | Kazushi Kimura | 124 | Bob Baffert | 5/2 |
Medoro Brings Win Streak Into Providencia
Medoro, trained by Peter Eurton, looks like the class of the Providencia field. Fresu has ridden her in all three of her starts, and she has never lost. Those include back-to-back stakes victories, in the Dec. 29 Blue Norther Stakes and March 10 China Doll Stakes, both at a mile on the turf at Santa Anita. Fresu is back aboard from post 3.
Only two of the other seven fillies have won or placed in stakes, and that was at Turf Paradise. Sakura Blossom and Pink Whitney finished one-two in the March 14 Arizona Oaks, a nose apart, at a mile on the dirt. Hector Berrios rides Sakura Blossom for trainer Leonard Powell from post 6, and Kyle Frey will pilot Pink Whitney for O'Neill from post 8.
O'Neill will also saddle Lamporghini (Maldonado, post 4). Though making her stakes debut, Lamporghini has finished first or second in all five of her starts since fifth in her debut last year.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 20, 2024, Race 8Entries: Providencia S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Shiloh's Mistress (KY) Umberto Rispoli 120 Michael W. McCarthy 6/1 2 2Circle of Trust (KY) Kazushi Kimura 120 Philip D'Amato 4/1 3 3Medoro (KY) Antonio Fresu 124 Peter Eurton 6/5 4 4Lamporghini (CA) Edwin A. Maldonado 122 Doug F. O'Neill 5/1 5 5Brand New Dream (KY) Drayden Van Dyke 120 Patrick Gallagher 20/1 6 6Sakura Blossom (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 124 Leonard Powell 8/1 7 7English Danger (KY) Diego A. Herrera 120 Rolando Quinonez 12/1 8 8Pink Whitney (KY) Kyle Frey 120 Doug F. O'Neill 8/1
