Weekend Lineup: Malibu On Santa Anita's Opening Day Could Decide 3-Year-Old Title
Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, is preparing for its traditional day-after-Christmas opening on Monday, Dec. 26. This year's opening day features six graded stakes (three of them Grade 1) on an 11-race program that gets under way at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.M. ET. Highlight of the day figures to be the seven-furlong G1 Malibu, where a victory by two-time G2 winner Taiba would strengthen his chances for an Eclipse Award in the hotly contested 3-year-old male division.
Balnikhov is coming off a stretch-running victory for trainer Phil D'Amato in the G3 Bryan Station going a mile at Keeneland. Balnikov will not go in G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. I'm A Gambler makes his U.S. debut for Mark Glatt.
Phil D'Amato's barn is deep in turf performers. Masteroffoxhounds and Prince Abama are the favorites in the San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita. Bob and Jackie won the race in 2021 when it was taken off the turf. Leonard Powell has two entries. Dicey Mo Chara is back at his best distance.
Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer is going to race in Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita. The race is a weak six-horse field, with Hudson Ridge and Hopkins making their first stakes and two-turn starts.
Half the field in the San Antonio and La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita is trained by Hall of Famer Baffert. Midnight Memories has four wins in five starts and comes off a 3 1/4-length win in G2 Zenyatta Stake at 1 1-16 miles in October. Hot Peppers will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for the first time.
6:00 p.m. ET – Gun Runner Stakes at Fair Grounds. Jace's Road was beaten 36 1/2 lengths last out in the G3 Street Sense Stake at Churchill Downs. Quality Road colt from the Brad Cox barn may have left his race in starting gate, acting up before the start as the 2-1 favorite. Florent Geroux is the only horse with a chance to win.
6:39 p.m. ET – Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita. Taiba is in the running for 3-year-old champion despite his poor performance in his only Triple Crown race, the G1 Kentucky Derby. Forbidden Kingdom, with speed from the rail, will have to be reeled in. Wesley Ward ships Naktomi to Santa Monica from his Keeneland base in Kentucky off a good allowance score Nov. 5.
7:11 p.m. ET – Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita. 11 fillies looking for Grade One black type. Four East Coast invaders. Chad Brown-trained Salimah. Pizza Bianca has talent but was no match for Regal Glory last out in the G1 Matriarch. Skims won the g2 Sands Point for Shug McGaughey last time. Sparkle Blue is a Graham Motion runner. Joel Rosario will be back aboard the Hard Spun filly.
