Santa Anita: Shakin It Up will keep sprinting

ARCADIA, Calif. – Shakin It Up will be pointed to sprints in coming months after winning the biggest race of his career in Thursday’s $301,500 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita.

“I think we’ll keep him at one turn,” trainer Bob Baffert said Friday. “I think he could probably get a mile.”

The stakes schedule for sprinters in coming months of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting includes the $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs Feb. 2 and the $250,000 San Carlos Stakes over seven furlongs March 8.

In the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds over seven furlongs, Shakin It Up closed from eighth in a field of 11 to win by a half-length at 17-1. The Malibu was the first start for Shakin It Up since he finished fourth in the Sunland Park Derby last March.

“He came out of it really stiff,” Baffert said. “I kicked him out.”

Owned by Dennis Cardoza and Mike Pegram, Shakin It Up is by Midnight Lute, the 2007 champion sprinter who was co-owned by Pegram and trained by Baffert. A colt, Shakin It Up has won 3 of 6 starts and $367,600.

David Flores rode Shakin It Up. Flores left Thursday evening for Singapore, where he plans to ride for the first six months of 2014.

Santa Monica likely target for Heir Kitty

Heir Kitty, winner of Thursday’s $300,250 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, will follow a similar career path.

Trainer Peter Miller said Friday that Heir Kitty will be pointed to the $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes over seven furlongs Jan. 25. Miller said there is a possibility that Heir Kitty could run in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 19, but that he thinks the filly has a long-term future in major stakes for sprinters.

“Right now, we’re leaning toward the Santa Monica,” he said. “She could be in the Breeders’ Cup.”

The BC Filly and Mare Sprint will be run at Santa Anita next fall.

In the Santa Monica, Heir Kitty will face a group of mares that will include Teddy’s Promise, winner of the Playa Del Rey Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park on Dec. 15.

Heir Kitty, who races for David Bernsen and Paul Makin, was a 13-1 outsider in a field of six in the Grade 1 La Brea. Ridden by Gary Stevens, Heir Kitty closed from fourth to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Sweet Lulu, the 4-5 favorite. Miller said his expectations for Heir Kitty were boosted when she won an optional claimer against older males at Hollywood Park on Nov. 29.

“I was expecting her to run well, but Sweet Lulu is a good filly,” he said. “It gave me a lot of confidence when [Heir Kitty] beat older males. I thought she could be competitive against 3-year-old fillies.”

Sweet Lulu, who won the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga last July, will be pointed to the La Canada, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Friday.

Gervinho likes opening day

Opening days worked well for Gervinho in 2013.

He won a division of the Oceanside Stakes on Del Mar’s opening day in July. Thursday, he won the main turf race on the opening day of the winter-spring meeting, the $201,000 Sir Beaufort Stakes for 3-year-olds going a mile.

“I like these opening days, Carla,” owner Keith Brackpool said to trainer Carla Gaines in the winner’s circle.

Brackpool, Santa Anita’s chairman, will have further opportunities to run Gervinho at his own track in coming months. Turf mile races such as the $200,000 Arcadia Stakes on Feb. 1 and the $350,000 Frank Kilroe Mile on March 8 are possibilities. Those races are against older horses.

Friday, Gaines was more content to reflect on the Sir Beaufort, the third career stakes win for Gervinho and his final chance to race in his own age group on turf.

“We conquered the last 3-year-old race,” Gaines said.

The Sir Beaufort confirmed that Gervinho is most effective over a mile. Earlier this year, he was second by 1 1/4 lengths in a division of the Del Mar Derby over 1 1/8 miles and fourth, beaten 2 3/4 lengths, in the Hollywood Derby over 1 1/4 miles on Dec. 1.

“I thought he ran a good race in the Del Mar Derby,” Brackpool said. ”I don’t think a mile and a quarter is his best race. I think he’s best at a mile.”

In the Sir Beaufort, Gervinho was carried wide on the turn and nearly clipped heels, according to jockey Rafael Bejarano. Gervinho regained his stride and took the lead in the final furlong, winning by a head.

“How he recovered and went on to win was unbelievable,” Brackpool said.