Out-of-towners a major presence in Goodwood

The Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday has nearly as many runners based outside of California as it has local hopes.

The $300,000 Goodwood Stakes is run at 1 1/8 miles and is the leading race on Saturday’s 10-race program, which includes five stakes, several with significant implications for Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

The winner of the Goodwood receives a fees-paid berth to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at 1 1/4 miles on Oct. 31.

The only runner in the Goodwood with Breeders’ Cup Classic experience is Nevada Beach, trained by Bob Baffert. Last fall, Nevada Beach won the Goodwood, but finished seventh of nine in the BC Classic at Del Mar. Saturday’s race will be Nevada Beach’s first start since a 12th-place finish of 13 after a troubled start in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February.

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Nevada Beach drew the outside post in a field of nine in the Goodwood, which has four shippers in Caldera, Forged Steel, McAfee, and Original Sin.

Forged Steel won the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita on May 25, and was seventh in his last start in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Del Mar on Aug. 22. Saffie Joseph Jr. trains Forged Steel as well as Caldera, who has won three consecutive one-mile allowance races at Gulfstream Park and Colonial Downs this year.

Original Sin was second in the Pacific Classic, beaten 6 1/4 lengths by the New York-based Knightsbridge.

McAfee, second or third in three graded stakes for 3-year-olds in 2025, won his second start of the year in an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles by 6 1/4 lengths at Saratoga on July 3.

The other runners in the field are from Santa Anita-based stables – Mr. A. P., Midnight Mammoth, Taif, and Vodka Vodka. Mr. A. P. is the only 3-year-old in the Goodwood. He was second in the BC Juvenile at Del Mar last October.

The Goodwood Stakes is Saturday’s eighth race, preceded by three Grade 2 turf stakes worth $200,000 – the City of Hope Mile, Eddie D Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, and John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles.

The City of Hope Mile drew the first four finishers of the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile on Aug. 22 – King of Gosford, Detain, El Potente, and Cabo Spirit – along with Irish Aces, who was second in two graded stakes on turf at Woodbine in July and August, and the Chilean import Teao, a four-time Group 1 winner in Chile and Peru in the last 13 months.

Sorrento Sky, winner of the Grade 2 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 22, leads a field of nine in the Eddie D Stakes. First Peace, winless in five starts since the 2024 Eddie D Stakes, is among the challengers. First Peace was third in an allowance race at a mile on turf on Aug. 22.

Atitlan, second by a neck to the Maryland shipper Test Score in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on Aug. 29, will be favored in the John Henry Turf Championship, which has eight entries. Atomic Age, who closed well to finish third in the Del Mar Handicap in his stakes debut, is among the leading candidates.

Saturday’s program includes the Grade 3 John C. Harris Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. The $100,000 Harris is run as the ninth race. While it is not expected to produce runners for Breeders’ Cup races, the Harris drew a field of 10 and will be an appealing betting race.

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