Friday's opening day card at Santa Anita Park features three graded contest, with the Grade 1, $300,000 Malibu drawing much of the attention thanks to the presence of Horse of the Year candidate Shared Belief.
However, the Malibu shares the card with another Grade 1 in the $300,000 La Brea, which attracted 10 three-year-old fillies going seven furlongs, including Grade 2 Raven Run romper Taris.
The bay miss scored by 7 3/4 lengths in a Presque Isle Downs allowance before her nine-length Raven Run tour de force on October 18 at Keeneland. The Flatter filly, trained by Todd Beattie and ridden by Clinton Potts in her initial four-for-five line, was purchased for $2.35 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale and now races under the tutelage of conditioner Simon Callaghan. Rafael Bejarano will be aboard as Taris makes her first start for her new connections.
Another top draw in the La Brea is Thank You Marylou, winner of the Grade 3 Dogwood at Churchill Downs on September 20 by 6 1/2 lengths. The Mike Maker charge followed up with third-place efforts in the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, the latter of which took place over track and distance. Joel Rosario takes the reins on the Birdstone filly for the first time in the La Brea.
Stonetastic, who dominated by 8 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Prioress at Saratoga before a nice third in Keeneland's Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America, finished fourth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The Kelly Breen-trained daughter of Mizzen Mast keeps Paco Lopez aboard as she returns to facing her own age group.
Trainer Bob Baffert has been pointing Awesome Baby and Jojo Warrior to the La Brea for quite some time. The former, a daughter of Awesome Again, is three-for-three on the year, including the Grade 2 Santa Ynez and Grade 3 Santa Ysabel, but hasn't raced since a 4 1/4-length decision in the Sunland Park Oaks on March 23.
Jojo Warrior, on the other hand, captured the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks in June by 5 1/4 lengths, the Grade 3 Torrey Pines in August and is exiting a nice third behind presumptive champion three-year-old filly Untapable in the Grade 1 Cotillion on September 20.
Smith has the call on Awesome Baby while Jojo Warrior will be ridden by Garcia.
Stakes scorers winners Uzziel and Ramona's Wildcat were one-two, respectively, in the Beverly J. Lewis in September, but have both been off-the-board in their subsequent starts. In contrast, More Complexity and Amaranth enter the La Brea off stakes wins in the Betty Grable and Senator Ken Maddy, respectively, in their past pair.
That leaves Sam's Sister to complete the La Brea field, and the Brother Derek filly will be looking to get back to her winning ways in this stakes bow after going three-for-four thus far in her career. Sandwiched between the Malibu and La Brea is the Grade 2, $200,000 Mathis Brothers Mile, formerly run as the Sir Beaufort Stakes, for sophomores on the turf. An overflow field of 14 was drawn for that eight-furlong grass contest, which feature a showdown between Alert Bay and Tonito M.
The top draw in the Mathis Brothers Mile, however, is Heart to Heart. The English Channel colt has easily captured his last three races -- the Grade 3 Commonwealth Turf, Grade 3 Jefferson Cup and Better Talk Now -- in wire-to-wire fashion. The Brian Lynch pupil had Julien Leparoux aboard for the two graded victories and the duo will try to make it three in a row on Friday.
Grade 3 scorers Alert Bay and Tonito M. met up last out in the Zia Park Derby, with the former earning his third straight stakes win by three lengths. Tonito M. rallied five wide from midpack to take second and will have to be closer if he hopes to factor in this sprint.
Also in with a chance are Home Run Kitten, a nose winner of the Grade 3 Eddie D. two back; Long On Value, victor of the Grade 2 Twilight Derby; Talco, third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby and Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in his past two; and Sawyer's Hill, fourth in the Hollywood Derby off seconds in the Twilight Derby and Del Mar Derby. The latter three runners are cutting back off nine-furlong races while Home Run Kitten sprinted in the Eddie D.
Santa Anita's popular free online "Showvivor" will mark its return on the track's opening day, and will again offer fans $10,000 in prize money, highlighted by a $5,000 top prize -- to be awarded to the longest "show streak" over the course of Santa Anita's winter and spring meetings, which will conclude on June 28.
The track is also offering fans free weekend Infield admission and parking, beginning opening day. A special early first post time is set for noon (PST) on Friday, with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.
Santa Anita Park's 68-day 2014-15 winter meet will offer fans a wide array of admission and seating options, including the track's popular "Gallop Out," which features trackside seating on the Club House turn, food and beverage options, and entertainment throughout the race day.
Santa Anita's winter meet will conclude April 19 and be followed by the track's 38-day summer meet, which runs from April 25 through June 28.