Toews On Ice unlikely to run in San Vicente

ARCADIA, Calif. – A quarter crack is likely to prevent the three-time stakes winner Toews On Ice from starting in Monday’s $200,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.

Trainer Bob Baffert said on Wednesday that Toews On Ice “missed training time” recently. The colt has had one recorded workout since a sixth-place finish as the 3-5 favorite in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Jan. 18. Toews On Ice worked six furlongs from the gate in 1:14.20 on Feb. 5.

“Right now, I would say no,” Baffert said regarding a start for Toews On Ice on Monday.

Toews On Ice has won 3 of 7 starts and earned $245,700, including a win in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in November. He was later second to stablemate Mor Spirit in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 19.

The Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes is run at seven furlongs. The field is led by Nyquist, the undefeated champion 2-year-old male of 2015. Other probable starters are Denman’s Call, El Charro, Exaggerator, and Sheikh of Sheikhs.

Baffert might run Electrifying, the winner of a $75,000 claiming race for maidens in his second start Jan. 3.

On Sunday, the Baffert-trained Cupid won a maiden special weight race at 1 1/16 miles in his third start and his first around two turns. The win, by 5 1/4 lengths under jockey Martin Garcia, has left Baffert eager to test the Tapit colt.

“That was pretty good,” Baffert said. “I don’t know where he’ll go next. He’s running in a stakes.”

Baffert was not present for Cupid’s maiden win. He spent Sunday at the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, Calif.

Cupid was purchased for $900,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September yearling sale and races for Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier, and Derrick Smith. Cupid is a half-brother to three stakes winners – Heart Ashley (who earned $395,896), Ashley’s Kitty ($349,268), and Indianapolis ($132,038).

There are two Grade 2, $200,000 stakes for older horses on Saturday – the Santa Maria Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles and the Arcadia Stakes at a mile on turf.

The Santa Maria field has eight projected starters, including Birdatthewire and Yahilwa, who were second and third in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares on Jan. 16. Taris, the La Canada winner, is expected to start in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes on March 19.

Other probable starters for the Santa Maria are Big Break, Gas Total, Kyriaki, Living The Life, Star Act, and Tara’s Tango.

The Arcadia Stakes will have a small field. The list of runners is led by Om, a three-time stakes winner on turf in the second half of 2015. Trained by Dan Hendricks, Om won the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile for 3-year-olds on Dec. 26.

His opponents in the Arcadia are expected to include Bolo, Obviously, and Prospect Park.

Bolo has not started since finishing ninth in the Belmont Derby last July. He was vanned off after that race.

Obviously was second by a neck in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes on Jan. 9. Prospect Park won the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on turf last August but has not raced since finishing third as the 1-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby in August.

Trainer Clifford Sise said last week that the Arcadia Stakes is a prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap on March 12 for Prospect Park.