Balnikhov drops into Cinema Stakes as heavy favorite

ARCADIA, Calif. – While the Cinema Stakes favorite may or may not be a lock, one certainty about Balnikhov is that he will be among the most heavily fancied runners on the Saturday card at Santa Anita.

Five entered the $100,000 Cinema, a 1 1/8-mile turf race for 3-year-olds that Balnikhov should win. Trained by Phil D’Amato, the two-time stakes runner-up is the fastest on figures, the current class of the field, and the 4-5 favorite by track linemaker Jon White. That price might be a bargain.

The apparent domination of Balnikhov is based on runner-up finishes in both U.S. starts, including a listed stakes at Santa Anita and impressive performance in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs last out.

Balnikhov was bumped, squeezed, and shuffled at the break, then spent the early part of the race fighting his rider. He uncorked an extended move while wide, made the lead at the eighth pole, and missed by 1 1/4 lengths. Balnikhov ran super in defeat.

If he reproduces that effort Saturday, Balnikhov and jockey Juan Hernandez should make short work of a short field that includes stakes winner Cabo Spirit, allowance winners War At Sea and Red Road, and Beef Winslow.

:: Win big at Santa Anita: Get DRF Past Performances, Picks, Clocker Reports and more.

Balnikhov won 3 of 8 in Europe before he began training for D’Amato and his new ownership at Santa Anita this winter. It wasn’t long before the trainer pinned high expectations on the gelding.

“I’d match him up with other classy horses in workouts, and he’d compete,” D’Amato said. “And even his races overseas, he showed a great turn of foot.”

Workout rivals for Balnikhov included Grade 1 winner Going Global and graded stakes-placed Gold Phoenix.

Balnikhov is owned by a partnership that includes Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, and Old Bones Racing Stable. In addition to dropping in class from a $500,000 Grade 2, Balnikhov will be fitted with cheater blinkers.

“We’re gonna see if that helps him get a smidge more focus,” D’Amato said, referring to his most recent start when he made the lead before being outfinished. “The jockey said it wasn’t that he got tired, he just thought he lost a little focus once he made the lead.”

Balnikhov has worked in the new equipment and might be closer to the pace than last out, when he got slammed and lost position at 1 1/16 miles. The longer distance of the Cinema is not an issue. Balnikhov won overseas at 1 1/8 miles and 1 3/16 miles.

War At Sea, a War Front colt purchased for $525,000 as a 2-year-old, moves up after winning maiden and allowance races for trainer Ron Ellis and owner Doubledown Stables. Mike Smith rides.

Cabo Spirit returns to preferred footing, turf. He won a $100,000 turf stakes in January, and last fall finished third in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille at Del Mar. George Papaprodomou trains Cabo Spirit for Kretz Racing.

Red Road scored a 15.70-1 upset in an allowance last out; Beef Winslow won a maiden race two back then finished fifth in an allowance.