Shaman Ghost, Isotherm possible for Santa Anita Handicap

ARCADIA, Calif. – The absence of Arrogate from the Grade 1 Santa Handicap on March 11 may lead to participation by runners from other circuits, and perhaps a turf stakes winner, in the track’s richest race for older horses.

Arrogate, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November and the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park in January in his last two starts, is scheduled to run in the $10 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 25.

Without Arrogate, the $750,000 Big Cap lacks a heavy favorite. The local candidates are led by Midnight Storm, the winner of the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 1 in his last start, along with El Huerfano, Follow Me Crev, Gangster, Hard Aces, Imperative, and Twentytwentyvision.

Shaman Ghost, second in the Pegasus World Cup, is a possible runner, trainer Jimmy Jerkens said in a text message Wednesday. He said a decision will be made after Shaman Ghost has a workout at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida this weekend.

“With Arrogate going to Dubai, it’s much more appetizing for sure,” Jerkens said.

Shaman Ghost has won 6 of 14 starts and earned $3,089,311 for Frank Stronach, who owns Santa Anita’s parent company, The Stronach Group. Shaman Ghost won the Queen’s Plate at Woodbine in 2015 and the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga last September.

Isotherm, who won the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf here Feb. 4, is a possible Big Cap runner, trainer George Weaver said. Isotherm is scheduled to have a workout at Santa Anita on Saturday that will play a key role in the decision.

“We’re taking a look at the Big Cap,” Weaver said. “It depends on who goes in there. He’s been training really well on the Santa Anita surface.”

Owned by Matthew Schera, Isotherm has won 3 of 12 starts and is winless in two starts on dirt. He was 13th behind Nyquist in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on dirt at Keeneland, a race that did not discourage Weaver. Isotherm was beaten 9 1/2 lengths after starting from post 10 in a field of 14.

“He had kind of a bad post,” he said. “It wasn’t a settled trip for him.”

Midnight Storm has been considered for the $6 million Dubai Turf in the United Arab Emirates on March 25, but owner Alex Venneri said on Wednesday he is running in the Big Cap.

John Sadler trains Hard Aces, the winner of the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita in 2015 who was second in the 2016 Big Cap. Sadler said on Wednesday that Accelerate, third in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Feb. 4, is a possible runner in the Big Cap, depending on a workout later this week.

Follow Me Crev became a candidate for the Big Cap after winning an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 20 in his first start since July.

“He’s pretty confident,” trainer Vladimir Cerin said of Follow Me Crev, a 5-year-old gelding.