Mucho Del Oro seeks to regain his winning form in the March 8 $100,000 San Simeon Stakes (G3T), a race he won a year ago at Santa Anita Park.
Following an eight-month hiatus after winning the Daytona Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita, the Mucho Macho Man gelding returned in January for the listed Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes, finishing sixth after trouble at the start. But Janie Buss, who races under the Purple Rein moniker, is looking for her talented 7-year-old to retain his title.
Among those looking to dethrone him in the 6 1/2-furlong contest on Santa Anita's downhill turf track is Air Force Red. He was seventh in this race last year and seventh last time out in the March 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes (G1T). In the Kilroe, Air Force Red tracked the pace and faded late.
Meanwhile, jockey Edwin Maldonado has been making the most of limited mounts at the Southern California track, winning two of four starts last weekend. He'll be in the irons for Gaslight Dancer. The son of City of Light has two wins and a second in five starts since being claimed by trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. and owner Gatsas Stables for $35,000 June 23 at Aqueduct Racetrack. He finished fifth last time out in the Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita.
Completing the field are Anarchist, Charge for Gold, Lovesick Blues, St Anthony, and Sorrento Sky. Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 8, 2025, Race 9
Entries: San Simeon S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Charge for Gold (KY) Kyle Frey 120 Philip A. Oviedo 10/1 2 2Gaslight Dancer (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 122 Richard E. Dutrow, Jr. 5/1 3 3Sorrento Sky (IRE) Antonio Fresu 120 Philip D'Amato 5/2 4 4Air Force Red (KY) Armando Ayuso 124 Leonard Powell 8/1 5 5St Anthony (KY) Umberto Rispoli 122 Neil D. Drysdale 10/1 6 6Anarchist (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 124 Doug F. O'Neill 6/1 7 7Lovesick Blues (CA) Geovanni Franco 120 Librado Barocio 30/1 8 8Mucho Del Oro (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 124 Doug F. O'Neill 9/5
