Santa Anita: Distinctiv Passion points to Malibu

Distinctiv Passion has had a tumultuous 2013 season.

Distinctiv Passion won the San Pedro Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita in January, but was disqualified from first to third in the Green Flash Handicap against older horses on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 14. He followed that with a third to the ill-fated Points Offthebench in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship on Oct. 5.

Distinctiv Passion did not start in a Breeders’ Cup race. Instead, the partnership that owns the colt and trainer Jeff Bonde have focused on another big prize – the $300,000 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.

The Grade 1 Malibu will be the richest race of Distinctiv Passion’s career. He has won 4 of 9 starts and earned $221.930. The Malibu will also be his longest race.

“That’s a new game for him,” Bonde said.

Saturday, Distinctiv Passion had his final major workout for the Malibu, going six furlongs in 1:12.40 at Santa Anita. Bonde said his assistant timed Distinctiv Passion in 1:09.80. Regardless, Bonde said Distinctiv Passion will be ready for the Malibu.

“The horse is training outstanding right now,” he said. “He’s a good work horse no matter. He’s a free-runner.”

The Malibu is the opening day fixture of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting, a highly anticipated race. This year’s Malibu is expected to draw a strong field, including Zeewat and Flashback, the first two finishers of the Damascus Stakes on Nov. 2.

Zeewat and Flashback were separated by a head in the seven-furlong Damascus for 3-year-olds on the undercard of the Breeders’ Cup Classic program. The Damascus was the first start for Flashback since a second in the Santa Anita Derby in April.

Other candidates for the Grade 1 Malibu are Bakken, who is unbeaten in two starts for Eastern trainer Chad Brown but yet to start in a stakes; Govenor Charlie, unraced since finishing fifth in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 18; Holy Lute, who won the El Cajon Stakes at Del Mar in August; and San Onofre, the winner of a six-furlong maiden race by 10 1/4 lengths at Betfair Hollywood Park on Nov. 15.

First win for English jockey

Jockey Amelia Green of England won the first race of her career aboard Twin Six in Friday’s eighth race for $8,000 claimers.

Green, 20, is exercising horses for trainer Simon Callaghan this winter and plans to return to England in early 2014.

“I came over for experience in the morning,” she said.

Green has had eight career mounts. She said in 2014 she will work for English trainer Clive Cox, who trained Lethal Force, the winner of two Group 1 races this year in England.

After winning aboard Twin Six, Green had a memorable experience en route to the jockeys’ room. In honor of her first career winner, one of the valets playfully plastered her face with shaving cream before a few fellow riders hit her with buckets of cold water.

Green may not have many more chances to ride at Hollywood Park. The track will be closed permanently after the Dec. 22 closing day of the current meeting.

Sahara Sky breezes

Sahara Sky, unraced since a win in the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park in May, worked three furlongs in 38.20 seconds at Hollywood Park on Friday, his second workout since returning to training.

Sahara Sky won three stakes earlier this year, including the Palos Verdes and San Carlos stakes at Santa Anita last winter.