Eight stakes on closing weekend

Santa Anita concludes a tumultuous winter-spring meeting with a three-day racing week from Friday through Sunday. There are eight stakes on Saturday and Sunday, including four Grade 3 races.

The track lost 21 days of racing from late March to mid-May because of the coronavirus outbreak after it was ordered closed by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. County health officials allowed the track to resume racing on May 15.

Saturday’s program includes the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. Collusion Illusion, the winner of the Grade 2 Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar last summer, is a leading candidate on the basis of an attractive win in an in a six-furlong allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option on May 17.

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The Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at about 1 3/4 miles on turf is part of Sunday’s closing-day program. Candidates includes Ward ’n Jerry, who won the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles in March, and the mare Siberian Iris, who was last of 10 in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares on May 25. Siberian Irish won the CTT and TOC Handicap for fillies and mares at 1 3/8 miles at Del Mar last summer.

After Sunday’s card, Santa Anita is scheduled to conduct a summer-fall meeting, beginning on Sept. 11.