Taiba, Balnikhov among stars set to shine opening day

ARCADIA, Calif. – Taiba on dirt and Balnikhov on turf are among the most conspicuous nominees (i.e., likely favorites) to six graded stakes scheduled for the Dec. 26 opening-day card at Santa Anita.

Nominations were released this week for the winter-meet opening day card that includes three Grade 1, $300,000 stakes and three Grade 2, $200,000 stakes. Taiba is the early favorite for the Grade 1 Runhappy Malibu at seven furlongs; Balnikhov likewise racing a mile on turf in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile. Both races are for 3-year-olds.

The meet opener also includes a pair of Grade 1 stakes for 3-year-old fillies – the La Brea at seven furlongs, and American Oaks at a mile and one-quarter on turf. Grade 2 routes for 3-year-olds and up include the San Antonio at a mile and a sixteenth on dirt, and San Gabriel at a mile and one-eighth on turf.

Entries for the Dec. 26 card will be drawn Dec. 21. Below is a quick look at the six stakes:

Malibu

Odds-on choices have won the Malibu four of the last eight years, including Flightline ($2.80) last year. Taiba’s price is unlikely to be that low vs. graded winners Slow Down Andy and Forbidden Kingdom.

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Bob Baffert-trained Taiba, third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, will seek his third Grade 1 following the Santa Anita Derby and Pennsylvania Derby.

Slow Down Andy finished a troubled third last out in the BC Dirt Mile; Forbidden Kingdom finished third last out in a highly rated allowance sprint.

The 15 nominees to the Malibu also include Cal-bred stakes winner Big City Lights, Kentucky-based stakes winner Nakatomi, along with graded winners Rockefeller and Messier.

La Brea

No favorite is safe in the La Brea. Favorites are 2 for 11 since Santa Anita reinstalled dirt. Seven of the nine beaten favorites were odds-on.

Favoritism this year is uncertain; Baffert-trained nominees include graded winners Midnight Memories and Under the Stars, and stakes winners Fun to Dream and Ganadora. East Coast-based graded winners Hot Peppers and Midnight Stroll are among 18 fillies nominated to the La Brea.

American Oaks

Previously an early-season stakes, the American Oaks moved in 2016 from spring to December. Since then, favorites are 0 for 6. Twenty fillies have been nominated to the American Oaks, including Bellstreet Bridie, impressive winner of the Grade 3 Red Carpet Stakes against older fillies and mares in her U.S. debut Nov. 24 at Del Mar.

A host of Eastern-based nominees include graded winners Pizza Bianca, Skims, Sparkle Blue, and Spirit And Glory. New York-based stakes winner Salimah also is nominated, along with locally based graded winners Bellabel, Island of Love, and Rhea Moon.

Santa Anita Mathis Mile

Form typically holds when the Mathis is on turf – favorites won five of the last six on turf, nine of the last 13. Rain forced the Mathis to dirt last year, but the extended forecast for Arcadia on Dec. 26 is clear skies, fast dirt, and firm turf.

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Balnikhov, impressive last-out winner a Grade 3 turf mile at Keeneland, is expected to be strongly favored in the Mathis. He is trained by Phil D’Amato, whose 20 graded stakes wins this year on turf ranks second nationally to Chad Brown (37).

The 15 Mathis nominees also include Grade 1 Hollywood Derby winner Speaking Scout, Grade 2 winner Cabo Spirit and East Coast-based stakes winner Dakota Gold.

Slow Down Andy is nominated to the Mathis, but expected to go in the Malibu.

San Antonio

Grade 1 winners Defunded and Country Grammer are nominated, along with 2020 San Antonio winner Kiss Today Goodbye and Grade 2 winner Stilleto Boy. Grade 3 winners Heywoods Beach and Newgrange also are nominated.

San Gabriel

Hit the Road, a Grade 1 winner unraced since January, is among 20 nominees to the San Gabriel. Grade 2 winner Hong Kong Harry is nominated but not expected to start. Grade 2 winners Masteroffoxhounds and Master Piece also are nominated.

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