Santa Anita Barn Notes: Friday's Card Gets 8.5 Starters Per Race

Friday's Card gets 8.5 starters per race at Santa Anita.

There will be 8.5 starters per race on Friday's all-dirt card at Arcadia. The weather forecast is wet, but the track should be sealed by Thursday. Sunday's scheduled feature, the Grade III, $200,000 Santa Ynez for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on the main track was moved to this Sunday. The first post on Thursday is 12 p.m. Pacific.

Air Force Red won Saturday's $250,000 Joe Hernandez. It was his second-straight stakes win and first at the graded level. Next up for Air Force Blue is a tilt in the Grade I, $500,00 Frank E. Kilroe Mile on March 4.

Air Force Red won the Hernandez at Santa Anita. He has now won 10 races in 10 starts and earned $354,100. The horse is going to be stretched out in the spring. Dicey Mo Chara's win in San Gabriel gave him a free berth in Pegasus World Cup Turf on January 28 at Gulfstream Park. He is also under consideration for the Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal color bearer.

Queen Goddess won the G1 stakes race at Santa Anita. It was her third graded stakes win. Two races before, another of McCarthy's horses, Smooth Like Strait, was beaten in the Grade II Joe Hernandez. Smooth like Strait's future plans are unknown. He won last year's Grade I Shoemaker Mile in May. He shipped to Keeneland for the Breeders’ Cup Mile on Nov. 5 and then to Del Mar for a race on November 26.

All six turf races on Monday will remain on the grass. There are some minor adjustments to the schedule. Sunday kicks off the road to Kentucky Derby at Santa Anita with the Grade III, $100,000 Sham Stakes. Entries will be taken on Thursday. On Saturday, Santa Monica will offer a mandatory payout in the 20-cent Single Ticket Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot.