Finest City breezes slowly, Conquest Enforcer's work labeled 'sensational'

ARCADIA, Calif. - A 2016 champion and several multiple stakes winners and promising 3-year-olds were among the 227 horses given recorded workouts on a busy morning at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Finest City, the champion female sprinter of 2016, worked a half-mile in 50.20 seconds, her first workout since a win in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes on Jan. 21.

Trainer Ian Kruljac said last week that Finest City is being considered for three stakes next month, notably the $400,000 Santa Margarita Invitational at 1 1/8 miles on March 18. The $100,000 Las Flores Stakes at six furlongs on March 5 or the $200,000 Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf on March 12 are other considerations.

The multiple stakes winners Conquest Enforcer, Kobe’s Back, Masochistic, Midnight Storm. and Vale Dori, and the 3-year-olds American Anthem, Aquamarine, Battle of Midway, Iliad, and Mastery worked for upcoming stakes.

Conquest Enforcer, the winner of the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds on turf on Dec. 26, worked six furlongs in 1:13.40, which trainer Phil D’Amato described as “sensational.” Conquest Enforcer is scheduled to start in Saturday’s $200,000 Arcadia Mile on turf.

Aquamarine, Battle of Midway, and Iliad are set to start in the $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs next Sunday. All three won maiden races in their last starts.

Sunday, Aquamarine worked six furlongs in 1:13.60 from the gate, Iliad worked a half-mile in 47.60 seconds and Battle of Midway worked five furlongs in 1:04.20.

Mastery, winner of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 10, worked five furlongs in 1:00.20 in company with the stakes winner Cat Burglar, who was timed in 1:00.60.

Mastery began behind Cat Burglar and ran alongside his stablemate through the stretch.

“We had him sit off of him a little bit, so he can learn to come from off it,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “It was a beautiful work. I see him moving forward.”

Baffert said on Sunday that Mastery will be considered for the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes here on March 11 or the $900,000 Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 18.

Baffert said that Mastery will run in one of the races while American Anthem will start in the other. Sunday, American Anthem worked five furlongs in 1:02.60. American Anthem was second in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on Jan. 7.

Midnight Storm and Vale Dori have been two of the top older horses in Southern California in recent months.

Midnight Storm, who won the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 1, will start in the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 11. Midnight Storm worked six furlongs in 1:13.60, an exercise majority owner Alex Venneri described as an “awesome breeze.”

Vale Dori, who won the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes on Jan. 14, worked a half-mile in 49.80 seconds. Baffert said she is expected to start in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

Masochistic worked six furlongs in 1:12.40, while Kobe’s Back was timed in 1:01 for five furlongs. They are expected to meet in the $400,000 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs on March 11.