Despite five from the dominating Bob Baffert barn, the Dec. 28 Malibu Stakes (G1) for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita has drawn a field of 10. The challengers to Baffert's quintet—who account for the top five choices on the morning line odds—include Speedy Wilson, a Phil D'Amato California-bred and two-time Del Mar stakes winner; graded stakes-placed Smooth Cruisein; and Spenard, who most recently competed at Zia Park.
Baffert does seem to have the field surrounded in the seven-furlong sprint that traditionally highlights Santa Anita's opening-day card. This year that card has been pushed back two days, from Dec. 26 to Dec. 28, in anticipation of several days of heavy rain expected in Southern California.
California fans will get to see the Ortiz brothers ride in the Malibu, as Baffert has named Jose Ortiz on Barnes and Irad Ortiz Jr. on Madaket Road.
Barnes, named for Baffert's longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes and a $3.2 million Saratoga yearling sale purchase, will likely go favored, given that in his most recent outing he demolished a Keeneland field by 8 1/4 lengths in the Oct. 18 Perryville Stakes (G3). Jose Ortiz has ridden the son of Into Mischief twice, in the Perryville and when Barnes finished third in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Barnes also won the San Vicente Stakes (G2) and ran second in the San Felipe Stakes (G2).
Madakat Road, a son of Quality Road , ran fifth in the Jerkens in his most recent outing. Though not a stakes winner, the colt has placed in four stakes, including the June 7 Woody Stephens Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
Cornucopian, another son of Into Mischief trained by Baffert and a $1.1 million Keeneland yearling, is an intriguing comebacker. He has not faced competition since April and has never started in California. At Oaklawn Park, Cornucopian broke his maiden by 5 3/4 lengths and ran fourth as an odds-on favorite in the Arkansas Derby (G1). He then finished second in a one-mile allowance/optional claiming race at Aqueduct. Flavien Prat rides Cornucopian.
Baffert has also entered graded stakes-placed Goal Oriented and two-time winner Midland Money. Goal Oriented, who gets the services of Joel Rosario while removing blinkers, ran fourth in the Preakness (G1), third in the Haskell (G1) and Pennsylvania Derby (G1), and sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Midland Money finished sixth in the Jerkens in his only prior stakes attempt and will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.
Speedy Wilson is coming off a 1 1/2-length win at seven furlongs in open allowance/optional claiming company at Del Mar. By Tough Sunday, a son of California leading sire Grazen, Speedy Wilson won the 2024 Golden State Juvenile and 2025 Real Good Deal Stakes at Del Mar, both at seven furlongs against Cal-bred company.
Smooth Cruisein ran second to Baffert-trained juvenile champion Citizen Bull in the Aug. 31 Shared Belief Stakes. A Florida-bred son of Girvin , Smooth Cruisein finished third behind winner Nysos, yet another from the Baffert barn, in the Triple Bend Stakes (G3) and most recently was fourth against older horses in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship Stakes (G2).
Spenard, trained by Dan McFarlane, most recently ran third in a one-mile allowance/optional claimer at Zia. California locals Modus Bestia and Berlin Wall round out the field.
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, December 28, 2025, Race 10Entries: Malibu S. (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Modus Bestia (MD) Edwin A. Maldonado 120 Richard Baltas 15/1 2 2Spenard (KY) Tyler Baze 120 Dan L. McFarlane 30/1 3 3Madaket Road (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 120 Bob Baffert 5/1 4 4Speedy Wilson (CA) Armando Ayuso 120 Philip D'Amato 15/1 5 5Midland Money (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Bob Baffert 7/2 6 6Berlin Wall (CA) Tiago Josue Pereira 120 Steve R. Knapp 20/1 7 7Smooth Cruisein (FL) Kyle Frey 120 Karen Headley 30/1 8 8Cornucopian (KY) Flavien Prat 120 Bob Baffert 7/2 9 9Barnes (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 122 Bob Baffert 3/1 10 10Goal Oriented (KY) Joel Rosario 120 Bob Baffert 5/1
