Meet concludes with marathon stakes and a mandatory payout

Turf marathon stakes and a hearty pick six pool are the dominant themes of Sunday’s closing day of the Santa Anita meeting.

The program itself is a test of stamina, 12 races beginning at noon Pacific.

Racing begins with the $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf in the first race, followed in the fifth race by the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes. The $100,000 San Juan Capistrano is the track’s longest stakes, at about 1 3/4 miles on turf.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 covers the seventh through 12th races and has a mandatory payout. The bet began the racing weekend Friday with a carryover of $192,462 from June 11. If there are no single-ticket winners on Friday or Saturday, the pool of new money on Sunday should surpass $3 million.

The pick six races will have maximum fields of 9, 12, 11, 10, 9, and 12.

The San Juan Capistrano is not part of the pick six sequence because it drew a field of six and is led by Offlee Naughty, who will be strongly favored on the strength of a three-race winning streak.

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This year, Offlee Naughty is unbeaten in two turf stakes, winning the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on April 8 and the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on May 13.

“He’s in a groove right now,” trainer Michael McCarthy said Thursday.

Owned by James and Donna Daniell, Offlee Naughty runs from off the pace and will start in the longest race of his career in the San Juan Capistrano. Jockey Umberto Rispoli was aboard for the win in the San Luis Rey Stakes and retains the mount.

Rispoli will have Offlee Naughty in pursuit of Opry, who is expected to set the pace. Opry was third in the Whittingham and fourth in the San Luis Rey.

If there is a late threat to Offlee Naughty, it may come from stablemate Duvet Day or the Brazilian-bred Planetario.

Duvet Day, a 4-year-old filly, was second by a neck to Queen ofthe Temple in the Santa Barbara Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on turf April 30. Duvet Day will start in the San Juan Capistrano instead of the Possibly Perfect Stakes because of race distances.

“It seems she’s more effective the farther she goes,” McCarthy said.

Planetario closed well to finish second in the San Luis Rey Stakes in his American stakes debut, and first start since June 2022. Trained by Richard Mandella, Planetario won the Group 1 Derby Paulista at 1 1/2 miles on turf in Brazil in his final start in that country in November 2021.

The absence of Duvet Day from the Possibly Perfect enhances the chance of the Queen ofthe Temple, who won her first stakes in the Santa Barbara. Queen ofthe Temple was second to the retired filly Ballet Dancing in the Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf March 12.

Queen ofthe Temple, who will be ridden by Joe Bravo, is likely to be near the front in the Possibly Perfect, which drew a field of five.

“The real key to a win last time was the ride,” trainer Dan Blacker said. “Tactically, she needs to be put into the race. She needs to be close to the pace. She doesn’t have a sharp turn of foot.”

A seven-week gap since Queen ofthe Temple’s win in the Santa Barbara Stakes does not concern Blacker.

“She’s the kind of filly that needs a little time between races to fire her best race,” he said.

The Possibly Perfect is the first start since October for the seven-time stakes winner Neige Blanche, who was third in the 2021 Possibly Perfect Stakes and won the race last year.

Trainer Leonard Powell insisted Thursday that Neige Blanche is ready for the Possibly Perfect despite the lengthy gap between starts.

“There are four recorded workouts and she’s had plenty of long gallops,” he said. “We’ve done a lot with her in the mornings.

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“With a freshening, hopefully she comes back better. The last few races were under par. Hopefully, giving her time off will help.”

McCarthy starts Australia Mia, a seven-time stakes winner in Chile who was third to Duvet Day and Queen ofthe Temple in the Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf in her American debut in January.

Australia Mia has been seventh in her last two starts, including a three-length loss in the Golden Poppy Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf on April 29 at Golden Gate Fields.

“The race at Golden Gate was too short for her,” McCarthy said. “I think she’ll be just fine.”

In the day’s second race, Muth, purchased for $2 million earlier this year, will have his career debut in a maiden race at five furlongs. Owned by Amr Zedan and trained by Bob Baffert, Muth, by Good Magic, was the most expensive hip at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale.

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