On the Whim could get ideal pace-pressing trip in Unusual Heat Turf Classic
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ARCADIA, Calif. – The gang’s not all here, but other than two notable exceptions, the highest profile California-breds will be running Saturday in five statebred stakes at Santa Anita.
Missing are The Chosen Vron, an 18-time stakes winner sidelined until summer, and Kings River Knight, a six-time stakes winner who posted his first comeback work last week. In their absence, others will step up, including a deep field in the $175,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic that goes as race 9 on Saturday’s 11-race card.
Stakes winners On the Whim, Aligato, Old Pal, and Coalinga Road top the 1 1/8-mile Turf Classic, won last year by Kings River Knight.
“I don’t think anyone in this race can beat that horse,” Coalinga Road’s trainer, Carla Gaines, said. She’s right.
A similar comment applies to the $125,000 California Cup Sprint, won the past two years by The Chosen Vron. His absence leaves Big City Lights as favorite in the five-horse California Cup Sprint that goes as race 5.
The early stakes Saturday also has a small field, as six entered the $125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint, race 3. The hillside race features Stay and Scam.
The final three stakes have bigger fields. Eleven are entered in the Turf Classic, and eight runners, including stakes winner Shea Brennan, entered the $175,000 California Cup Derby, race 10. A dozen, including stakes winner Hey Jessie, entered the $175,000 California Cup Oaks, race 11.
The Turf Classic is an annual stop for Aligato, who will be making his fourth start in the race he won in 2022. He finished second in the Turf Classic in 2023, and third last year. The difference this season is Aligato has not raced since April. Trainer Mark Glatt acknowledged the challenge.
“It’s a tall order to come off the bench to run at a mile and an eighth, but he’s kind of a natural,” Glatt said. “He’s the same old horse, a very hard-trying consistent horse. Got a little age on him now, but he typically runs good fresh.”
Glatt said Aligato has “a fair amount of works into him, I think he’s ready to go.” It will be up to Flavien Prat to work out a trip with the late-runner. “With his style, he has a tendency to find a little trouble,” Glatt noted.
The pace scenario suits Aligato, an 8-year-old gelding with three wins from 18 starts. The pace could be contested by front-runners Jimmy Blue Jeans, Fast Buck, Takes Three, and pace-presser On the Whim.
Glatt also runs late-runner Old Pal.
“He’s a horse that’s a victim of the early pace scenario, they both can be,” Glatt said, referring also to Aligato. “They want them to be smoking up front.”
Old Pal won the Snow Chief Stakes in 2023 and finished third last out in a one-mile allowance at Del Mar.
“His best distance is probably a mile and an eighth,” Glatt said.
Old Pal is 3 for 10, his rider is Antonio Fresu.
One could argue On the Whim is the most probable winner, despite misfiring last out in a Del Mar allowance. On the Whim, trained by Dean Pederson, will seek his third California-bred stakes win. But what happened last time? On the Whim finished eighth.
“Who knows? He was just a touch flat that day,” Pederson said. “He’s got no excuse.
“It’s not like he bled, or came out of the race with an issue. He kind of ran even, is what he did.”
On the Whim’s turf stakes wins last season include the California Flag on the Santa Anita hill and the California Dreamin’ around two turns at Del Mar. When he fires, the gelding is good enough. The Turf Classic will be his first start beyond 1 1/16 miles.
“He got a mile and a sixteenth at Del Mar,” Pederson noted. “If he gets beat, it ain’t gonna be because of the distance.”
Tiago Pereira rides On the Whim, who figures for a pace-pressing trip behind the speed and in front of the closers. On the Whim has won 4 of 10 for owner-breeder Harris Farms.
“Glancing at the PPs, it could unfold like [the California Dreamin’] at Del Mar, where he gets a jump on everybody else while they’re looking for a place to go around the turn,” Pederson said.
Coalinga Road, trained by Gaines for Harris Farms, has not won since the 2023 Turf Classic. The 8-year-old hasn’t raced in three months but always shows up, having hit the board in 21 of 30 career starts.
“We could’ve run him in a one-other-than, but we were waiting for this race,” Gaines said. “He’s a pro. He makes about $100,000 a year, not bad.”
Coalinga Road, who will get Umberto Rispoli aboard, has won four races for earnings of $481,394.
Fast Buck is a Grade 3-winning sprinter who contested the pace and finished eighth in his first try around two turns last out. He will be hounded by front-runner Jimmy Blue Jeans and Takes Three. Others in the field include Keep Movin’ On, Barely Funtional, We Can, and None Above the Law.
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