Brad Free's Santa Anita Horses to Watch for week of Feb. 21-23, 2025

IL BELLATOR
Trainer: Jose Bautista
Last race: Feb. 21, 6th
Finish: 2nd by head
Beyer: 84
Veteran stakes winner ran super making his first start in six months. Forwardly placed three wide, challenged odds-on front-runner quarter pole, second-best, fine comeback.

FORMULA ROSSA
Trainer: Mark Glatt
Last race: Feb. 21, 8th
Finish: 1st by 4
Beyer: 91
Debut 3-year-old filly ran like a stakes filly in maiden dirt sprint. Broke well, chased fast pace, ran past favorite furlong pole, widened. Should route, the sky is the limit.

SUNTORY TIME
Trainer: Richard Baltas
Last race: Feb. 22, 7th
Finish: 5th by 3 1/2
Beyer: 59
Debut 3-year-old filly off slowly in turf mile, not asked, trailed field saving ground, cut corner into lane, finished well inside, galloped out in front of the field. Nice debut.

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KING STEPHEN
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Last race: Feb. 22, 8th
Finish: 3rd by 6
Beyer: 70
Debut 3-year-old colt well bet at 3.80-1, walked out of gate, trailed field, five-wide rally turn and into lane, finished willingly. Could be tough next out with a clean break.

TIRUPATI
Trainer: Jonathan Thomas
Last race: Feb. 22, 10th
Finish: 3rd by 2
Beyer: 75
Filly favored in turf-mile entry-level allowance, got hot, stumbled badly and lost position, raced inside, 22.50 final quarter. She entered back in a Grade 2 on March 1.

KERSTING COURT
Trainer: Sean McCarthy
Last race: Feb. 23, race 6
Finish: 2nd by 3 3/4
Beyer: 53
First route, first-time gelding, maiden-claiming 3-year-old trailed field, rallied on rail far turn, blocked quarter pole, finished well. Much improved, maiden route win soon.

NERO TULIP
Trainer: Paul Aguirre
Last race: Feb. 23, 8th
Finish: 5th by 4
Beyer: 70
Off year and a half, gelding pressed blazing pace in claiming turf sprint, hung tough to deep stretch, tired in race dominated by closers. Solid return, will be fitter next out.

SHARP RIDE
Trainer: Dean Pederson
Last race: Feb. 23, 9th
Finish: 1st by 5
Beyer: 83
Veteran mare ran the fastest race of her career in Cal-bred allowance. Stalked while wide, cut loose into lane, powered home. She fits in open entry-level allowance sprint.

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