An overflow field of 12 is locked and loaded for a $100,000 opportunity to race 6 1/2 furlongs down the hill at Santa Anita Park June 13 in the Daytona Stakes (G3T), and the field appears to be wide open.
Perry and Ramona Bass' homebred Sumter is the lone entrant to have earned a graded win this year, which came by a nose in the March 14 San Simeon Stakes (G3T) after stalking the pace. That was also the last time the 7-year-old War Front gelding sprinted down the hill as he returned April 18 to run fifth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths, over a flat mile at Santa Anita. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith retains the mount for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella and will navigate from the far outside post.
Video: San Simeon S. (G3T)
Trainer Mark Glatt returns two graded-quality contenders from layoffs in First Peace and Freedom's Not Free.
Racing for Rancho Temescal, Red Baron's Barn, and Rodney Orr's First Peace, won the California Crown Eddie D Stakes (G2T) to close out his 2024 campaign, but would not race again for 11 months. Off the board in both starts last year, the son of Funtastic is back at 6 returning from an 8 1/2-month layoff having breezed on a consistent pattern since mid-March.
Glatt also returns Freedom's Not Free from a 9 1/2-month layoff since finishing second in the 1 1/8-mile Del Mar Derby (G2T). The 4-year-old Omaha Beach colt has traditionally shown early speed in his route contests and cuts back to a sprint after five two-turn races. He races for Blinkers On Racing Stable, Janlois Racing, Valinor Racing Stable, Tom Corbett, Andy Kwan, and Jay Wagner.
Entries: Daytona S. (G3T)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, June 13, 2026, Race 8
- Grade III
- About 6 1/2f
- Downhill turf
- $100,000
- 3 yo's & up
- 4:35 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Friendly Confines (KY) | Armando Ayuso | 122 | Richard Baltas | 20/1 |
| 2 | 2Later Than Planned (IRE) | Hector Isaac Berrios | 118 | Philip D'Amato | 6/1 |
| 3 | 3Nesso's Lastharrah (FL) | Emisael Jaramillo | 122 | Jeff Bonde | 10/1 |
| 4 | 4First Peace (KY) | Kazushi Kimura | 126 | Mark Glatt | 7/2 |
| 5 | 5Irish Royalty (CA) | Kyle Frey | 122 | Doug F. O'Neill | 15/1 |
| 6 | 6Modus Bestia (MD) | Armando Aguilar | 122 | Richard Baltas | 30/1 |
| 7 | 7War At Sea (KY) | Ricardo Gonzalez | 126 | Ronald W. Ellis | 30/1 |
| 8 | 8Anmer Hall (KY) | Antonio Fresu | 122 | Peter Eurton | 8/1 |
| 9 | 9Incanto (IRE) | Tiago Josue Pereira | 124 | Peter Eurton | 20/1 |
| 10 | 10Zio Jo (KY) | Joel Rosario | 122 | Doug F. O'Neill | 6/1 |
| 11 | 11Freedom's Not Free (KY) | Juan J. Hernandez | 124 | Mark Glatt | 9/2 |
| 12 | 12Sumter (KY) | Mike E. Smith | 126 | Richard E. Mandella | 5/1 |
| 13 | 13The Old Nine (IRE) | Edwin A. Maldonado | 122 | Jorge Periban | 15/1 |
