Closing Remarks brings strong works into Megahertz

It would not have been a surprise had Closing Remarks been retired at the end of 2023 after a wildly successful season that included four stakes wins.

Owner and breeder John Harris had other ideas, and has left Closing Remarks with trainer Carla Gaines for 2024.

The first objective is Saturday’s Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Santa Anita, a distance that well suits the 6-year-old Closing Remarks.

Unraced since a sixth-place finish by two lengths in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 2, Closing Remarks has left Gaines impressed with her recent training in advance of the $100,000 Megahertz.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

“Her works have been amazing,” Gaines said. “She’s very happy right now and has trained forwardly. Her works have been as good as she’s ever been.”

In recent weeks, Closing Remarks worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on Jan. 20 and a half-mile in 48 on Jan. 27.

Closing Remarks drew the outside post in a field of seven in the Megahertz, the first of four stakes on a 10-race program that begins at 12:15 p.m. Pacific.

The program has one other turf stakes, the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf.

Closing Remarks has shown the versatility to stalk the pace or race from farther back. In 2023, she won four stakes at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/8 miles, all on turf.

The ability to be handy for jockey Juan Hernandez may be an asset in the Megahertz, which does not have a confirmed front-runner.

The field includes Bellabel, unraced since a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in October 2022; Mouffy, a minor stakes winner on turf at Ellis Park last summer; and Justique, second in the Lady of Shamrock Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf on Dec. 31.

Bellabel was listed as bought back for $425,000 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in 2023. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Bellabel raced near the front in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup before finishing two lengths behind Gina Romantica. Bellabel was a two-time stakes winner at a mile on turf in 2022.

D’Amato admits that Bellabel is at a disadvantage without a start in more than 15 months.

“Those other horses have good recent form,” he said. “My filly has good back class. We’re looking to kick off the season.”

Thunder Road

D’Amato has three attractive contenders in the $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes, but said on Thursday that their participation will depend largely on weather conditions in Southern California in coming days.

The region sustained a significant rainstorm early Thursday and another is possible on Sunday, in advance of the Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita.

Prince Abama won the 2023 San Marcos and is entered in the Thunder Road for his first start in a year. D’Amato is considering scratching Prince Abama from the Thunder Road in favor of the San Marcos Stakes. A decision may be delayed until Saturday morning.

“The forecast doesn’t look good,” D’Amato said. “He needs a race.”

Prince Abama was taken out of training last spring, after the San Marcos, and resumed workouts in November.

“We turned him out because he was getting dull on me,” D’Amato said.

In the Thunder Road Stakes, D’Amato also starts the multiple stakes winner Balnikhov, who was sixth in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes for turf sprinters on Dec. 30 in his last start; and Tio Magico, who was third in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Dec. 26 after leading in the stretch.

Balnikhov has won three one-mile stakes on turf in his career.

Tio Magico won allowance races at 1 1/16 miles and 1 1/8 miles on turf in 2023 by leading throughout or stalking the pace.

“He’s very tactical,” D’Amato said.

The Thunder Road Stakes may be the American stakes debut for the 6-year-old gelding Great King, who closed from last of six to be a game second to Goliad in an allowance race at a mile on turf in his California debut on Jan. 7.

Trainer Simon Callaghan warned on Thursday that Great King is not a definite runner on Saturday.

“I’m still deciding,” Callaghan said.

Goliad is part of the Thunder Road field and is expected to set the pace. Kizushi Kimura, who was aboard for the Jan. 7 race, has the mount on Goliad, who could prove tough to catch.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.