Brad Free

Can’t remember the last time a 2-year-old maiden ran six furlongs as fast as The Factor in race 4 Sunday. The second-time starter set a Santa Anita record winning by eight and one-quarter lengths in 1:06.98. But first-timer Cook Inlet is one to follow after a super third-place debut. Cook Inlet, a John Sadler-trained son of Candy Ride, broke well but had no speed. He was far back early, picked up steam into the turn, scraped paint rallying inside, and finished with run. “He traveled good and took everything in stride,” jockey Garrett Gomez said.

The “fast” track at Santa Anita was a beehive of activity Friday as the notebook filled up quickly, with stuff like this … # The Usual Q.T. is favored Monday in the San Gabriel Handicap, but trainer Jim Cassidy was unhappy with the fast time of his half-mile work Friday. “I thought he would go a nice, easy half … but no,” Cassidy said. He hoped for 48 seconds. He got faster. “I’m going to say 47 (seconds), but I am lying,” Cassidy said. The official time was 47.40.

The “fast” track at Santa Anita was a beehive of activity Friday as the notebook filled up quickly, with stuff like this … # The Usual Q.T. is favored Monday in the San Gabriel Handicap, but trainer Jim Cassidy was unhappy with the fast time of his half-mile work Friday. “I thought he would go a nice, easy half … but no,” Cassidy said. He hoped for 48 seconds. He got faster. “I’m going to say 47 (seconds), but I am lying,” Cassidy said. The official time was 47.40.

Looking for a cinch on Sunday, opening day of the Santa Anita winter meet? Keep looking. Persistent rain kept the Santa Anita main track closed again Wednesday, as training activity was funneled to the infield training track. Track superintendent Richard Tedesco hoped to open the outer lanes of the main track for galloping on Thursday, and if the forecast holds, the track will be completely open for workouts on Friday.

If the top sprinter in California wins the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Sunday, opening day of the winter meet at Santa Anita, he will win it despite an imperfect training pattern. Smiling Tiger, third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and a two-time Grade 1 winner, faces a tall order in the seven-furlong Malibu. He has not had a workout since Dec. 12, and he might prefer six furlongs.