The Santa Anita winter-spring season’s four-day final week features the traditional closing-Sunday San Juan Capistrano Stakes turf marathon. Gold Phoenix, an 8-year-old gelding with more than $2 million in earnings on the Santa Anita and Del Mar grass courses, tries the approximately 1¾-mile race for the first time after winning at six different distances from 7 furlongs to 1½ miles. Ridden by two-time San Juan Capistrano winner Hector Berrios, Gold Phoenix heads a field of 10.
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• After Nooni was scratched, Magnificat ($2.80) inherited the favorite’s role and led from start to finish with Antonio Fresu riding for trainer Richard Mandella in Thursday’s Desert Stormer Stakes at Santa Anita. The sprint was the 4-year-old filly’s first stakes victory and fourth win overall in seven starts. A second stakes, the Affirmed for 3-year-olds, is scheduled later in the day.
• Trainers Phil D’Amato and Michael McCarthy are tied for the lead in stakes wins at the Santa Anita Hollywood Meet with five each. D’Amato’s best shot at a sixth is Gold Phoenix in the San Juan Capistrano. McCarthy’s is the 3-year-old filly Marjoram, seeking a second Grade III victory in Saturday’s Summertime Oaks.
• Golden Tempo’s schedule after winning the Kentucky Derby and last Saturday’s Belmont Stakes calls for the 3-year-old colt to prepare at Keeneland for the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy Stakes and the Aug. 29 Travers at Saratoga, trainer Cherie DeVaux told reporters.
• Los Alamitos bettors chased the biggest pick-six in the Orange County track’s history when a three-night carryover helped to push the pool to $706,687. It wound up paying $18,315 after the six-race sequence ended with second choice My Favorite Paris ($6.20) and jockey Irving Lara won the Fred Scane Stakes for quarter horses.
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SANTA ANITA LEADERS
Through Sunday
Jockeys / Wins
Armando Ayuso / 27
Antonio Fresu / 27
Juan Hernandez / 21
Emisael Jaramillo / 19
Joel Rosario / 17
Kazushi Kimura / 17
Trainers / Wins
Phil D’Amato / 18
John Sadler / 14
Jeff Mullins / 10
Mike Puype / 9
Mark Glatt / 9
Michael McCarthy / 9
Steve Knapp / 9
UPCOMING STAKES
SANTA ANITA
Friday
• $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, 1¼ miles on turf
Saturday
• $100,000, Grade III Summertime Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 1-1/16 miles
• $100,000, Grade III Daytona Stakes, 3 and up, about 6½ furlongs on turf
Sunday
• $100,000, Grade III San Juan Capistrano Stakes, 3-year-olds and up, about 1¾ miles on turf
LOS ALAMITOS
Saturday
• $75,000, Grade II Abigail Kawanakoa Stakes, quarter-horse fillies and mares, 3 and up, 350 yards
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Sunday
• $30,000 1,000 Yard Summer Stakes, fillies and mares, 3 and up, 1,000 yards
• $30,000 1,000 Yard Summer Championship, 3 and up, 1,000 yards