Axelrod to have a bunch of opponents in Malibu

ARCADIA, Calif. – Axelrod worked a half-mile at Santa Anita on Thursday in 48.20 seconds, and will be among the contenders in the Dec. 26 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds. Last out in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the Michael McCarthy-trained Axelrod made a premature move and finished ninth, an effort that was much better than it appears. He is expected to face a large field in the Malibu.

Possible other starters in the seven-furlong Malibu include Air Strike, Ax Man, Calexman, Cool Bobby, Copper Bullet, Identity Politics, Kanthaka, McKinzie, Pitino, and Solomini.

Brown shippers on the scene

East Coast trainer Chad Brown will try to start the Santa Anita winter meet the same way he ended Del Mar fall, by winning Grade 1 races. Brown shipped Identity Politics and Competitionofideas to Santa Anita on Wednesday; Identity Politics runs Dec. 26 in the Malibu Stakes; Competitionofideas runs Dec. 29 in the 1 1/4-mile American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies.

Brown, whose stable leads the nation in purses won this year with more than $27 million, won two Grade 1 races in fall at Del Mar. Raging Bull won the Hollywood Derby; Uni won the Matriarch.