Santa Anita notes: Majestic City tries to go long in San Pasqual

ARCADIA, Calif. – The $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Saturday is designed as a prep race for more lucrative two-turn races in the coming months, such as the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap over 1 1/4 miles on March 8.

For Majestic City, a three-time stakes winner, the San Pasqual is the primary wintertime goal. The distance will be a test for the 5-year-old horse owned by Bloom Racing Stable and trained by Ron Ellis.

Majestic City has run primarily in sprints in his 17-race career. He won the minor Big Bear Stakes over a mile here Oct. 31 and followed with a second in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap over 1 1/16 miles at Golden Gate Fields on Nov. 29, losing by six lengths to the heavily favored Summer Hit.

“The races he ran at 2, he was on the lead or close to the lead,” Ellis said. “I think he likes to run that way. It helps him go longer. We’ll see how he does over a mile and a sixteenth. I think a mile and an eighth would be a test.”

By City Zip, Majestic City might set the pace in the San Pasqual. He led throughout the Big Bear, winning by a neck over Rousing Sermon, a contender for the San Pasqual.

“It was a really nice race,” Ellis said. “It’s good to get him stretched out. It’s been a surprise to see the City Zips go two turns. Everyone expected them to be sprinters.”

The San Pasqual has a projected field of seven, including Blingo, Blueskiesnrainbows, Drill, Majestic Harbor, and Spud Spivens. Blueskiesnrainbows won the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes over 1 1/8 miles at Hollywood Park on Dec. 14.

Top sprinters stretch legs

Secret Circle and Sahara Sky, two finalists for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding sprinter of 2013, worked Wednesday. There is a possibility that they could meet in the $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs Feb. 2.

Secret Circle, unraced since winning the Breeders’ Cup Sprint here Nov. 2, worked a half-mile in 48.40 seconds. Secret Circle is trained by Bob Baffert.

Sahara Sky, unraced since winning the Metropolitan Handicap over a mile at Belmont Park last May, worked five furlongs in 1:03.40. Jerry Hollendorfer trains Sahara Sky.

Lighthouse Bay eyes Grade 2

Lighthouse Bay, who won the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga last July, will race in Southern California this year and could start in the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes on Jan. 25, trainer Simon Callaghan said.

Lighthouse Bay was sent to California by trainer George Weaver for the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26 but did not start because of an elevated temperature. She stayed with Callaghan after missing that race.

“She spiked a temperature five days out,” Callaghan said. “She’s here for the season.”

A 4-year-old filly by Speightstown, Lighthouse Bay races for Richlyn Farm. She has won 4 of 8 starts and earned $365,706. She was fifth in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga in August in her most recent start.

The Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes is run over seven furlongs for fillies and mares. Teddy’s Promise, winner of the Playa Del Rey Stakes at Hollywood Park on Dec. 15, is a leading contender.

Ontology may go in Sham

Callaghan said Wednesday that Ontology, a maiden race winner on turf Dec. 28, will be entered for Saturday’s $100,000 Sham Stakes for 3-year-olds over a mile. Ontology was second in two stakes last year – the Hollywood Juvenile Championship in July and the Oak Tree Juvenile Turf Stakes at Del Mar in September.

Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Ontology is not a definite starter, Callaghan said.

“We’ll enter and take a look at the field,” he said. “He came out of the turf race like it was a piece of work. It’s quick back, but we want to think about it for another day or so.”

The Grade 3 Sham Stakes has a projected field of six, including I’ll Wrap It Up, Kristo, Life Is a Joy, Midnight Hawk, and Top Fortitude.

Life Is a Joy won the Charlie Palmer Futurity at the Big Fresno Fair in October and was second in the King Glorious Stakes for California-breds at Hollywood Park in December.

Perez nears return

Jockey Fernando Perez, who broke his collarbone in a two-horse spill at Hollywood Park on Dec. 6, resumed exercising horses Wednesday, according to his agent, Jim Pegram.

Perez could resume riding “in a couple of days,” Pegram said. “He’s pretty fit.”

Perez was injured when his horse was unable to avoid a horse who broke down while racing near the lead.

A former leading rider at Hastings Park in British Columbia, Perez has ridden in Southern California since last fall.