Waspirant stays on track for American Pharoah Stakes

It has taken a bit of commuting on Southern California freeways to prepare the promising colt Waspirant for his stakes debut in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes on Sept. 26 at Santa Anita.

Trained by John Shirreffs, Waspirant won his second start in a maiden special weight race at a mile on Aug. 29 at Del Mar. Waspirant had a half-mile workout on Sept. 8 at Del Mar, the day after the track’s summer meeting concluded. He was shipped to Santa Anita a few days later with the rest of the Shirreffs stable.

When a massive wildfire erupted in the mountains near Santa Anita in the following days, Shirreffs took action to keep Waspirant on schedule for the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. Waspirant was sent briefly to trainer Cliff Sise at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in northern San Diego County, where the colt worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 last Monday.

Sise and Shirreffs both train for Waspirant’s owners and breeders – Marty and Pam Wygod.

“When the fires got closer, the air quality diminished,” Shirreffs said of his decision.

Air quality has improved at Santa Anita. Waspirant is now back at Santa Anita and will have a workout in coming days.

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“The air is good here, so we’ll work him again, maybe Monday,” Shirreffs said.

Workouts resumed at Santa Anita on Friday after being canceled on Tuesday and Thursday because of poor air quality. The fire covers more than 60,000 acres and has moved largely to the north away from the track. The fire was 15 percent contained as of Friday morning, a significant increase from the 3 percent containment in mid-week, according to forest officials.

The American Pharoah Stakes is not expected to have a large field. The list of probable starters is led by Spielberg, a maiden who was second in the Grade 1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 7 to Dr. Schivel, who is not expected to start. Dr. Schivel’s next race is expected to be the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Waspirant was fourth in a maiden special weight race at six furlongs on Aug. 8 at Del Mar, finishing behind Dr. Schivel and Spielberg. On Aug. 29, Waspirant closed from fourth in a field of six to win by three-quarters of a length.

Waspirant is by Union Rags and is out of Life Is Sweet, who is best known for winning the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic. The race is better known as the BC Distaff.

Notable Exception, winner of a maiden special weight race in his debut Sept. 4 at Arlington Park, may be flown to California for the American Pharoah, trainer Jack Sisterson said Friday. The decision hinges on a workout at Keeneland this weekend

Santa Anita canceled racing on Saturday and Sunday this weekend because of air-quality concerns.

The season opens Friday with a three-day weekend that includes 12 stakes. Over those three days, there are seven stakes that are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series in which the winners will receive a fees-paid berth to Breeders’ Cup races at Keeneland on Nov. 6-7.

The winner of the American Pharoah Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Juvenile.

There are seven stakes on the Saturday program, led by the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles. Maximum Security, the champion 3-year-old male of 2019 and winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 22, will be part of a small field.