Denman's Call, Toew's On Ice to clash in San Pedro

ARCADIA, Calif. – Denman’s Call and Toews On Ice are expected to head the field Sunday at Santa Anita in the $75,000 San Pedro Stakes, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds that was canceled March 11 when rain forced the cancellation of that day’s final three races.

Denman’s Call was third to Nyquist and Exaggerator in the San Vicente Stakes, his second lifetime start. Toews On Ice is turning back to a sprint after a sixth-place finish two months ago in the one-mile Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park.

Six were originally entered in the San Pedro. The original nomination list still holds for the rescheduled San Pedro, though supplemental entries will be allowed when entries are taken Thursday.

Also on Sunday is the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes for older female sprinters. Fantastic Style and Finest City were among those expected to enter the six-furlong race.

◗ The unbeaten Songbird, last year’s champion 2-year-old filly, worked a half-mile in 48 seconds on Wednesday in her first drill since winning the Santa Ysabel Stakes on March 5. Her next scheduled start is the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks on April 9, the same day as the Santa Anita Derby.

◗ Mario Gutierrez will be gone all weekend, riding in stakes for owner Paul Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill. He is at Oaklawn on Saturday to ride Ralis in the Rebel Stakes and at Sunland Park on Sunday to ride Found Money in the Sunland Park Festival of Racing Stakes, which took the place of the canceled Sunland Park Derby.

Martin Garcia has a similar itinerary. After riding Cupid on Saturday at Oaklawn, he rides Collected in the Sunland Park Festival of Racing on Sunday. Both Cupid and Collected are trained by Bob Baffert.