Wide-open San Gabriel abundant with options

Nestled amid an action-packed 11-race program Sunday at Santa Anita, the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles is one of the day’s more engrossing turf races. There are plenty of runners with chances.

Stay Hot, winner of the Texas Turf Classic at Lone Star Park in June, can end a four-race losing streak if he replicates a second-place finish by a neck in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap in August.

Astronomer, winless in 15 starts since August 2023, poses a threat as a stalker. Astronomer ran very well to be second by a half-length in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap on turf Nov. 29 at Del Mar.

Suchet, a 4-year-old French-bred gelding, can play an important role in his first start since an authoritative 3 1/4-length win in an allowance on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Those are three of the 11 runners in the $100,000 San Gabriel Stakes, which could serve as a West Coast prep race for the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational on Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park.

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Stay Hot, trained by Peter Eurton for a partnership that includes Exline-Border Racing, Burns Racing, and the family of the late Brereton Jones, closed from last of eight to finish sixth by 3 1/2 lengths in the Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Eurton dismisses the loss.

“He didn’t get the trip I thought he would,” Eurton said. “He got shuffled back more than I wanted him to.”

A longer race on Sunday should be a benefit.

“I think he’ll like a little extra distance,” Eurton said. “I’m hoping he shows back up again.”

Stay Hot is likely to race as a stalker behind the stakes winner Cabo Spirit and Nesso’s Lasthurrah, an outsider trained by Eurton.

“Ideally, I’d like to see him within two or three lengths at most,” Eurton said of Stay Hot. “He seems to be able to have a better kick that way. He’s not a horse with a humongous turn of foot. You know Cabo will go. I think he’ll have a little entertainment with Nesso.”

Suchet will benefit if a quick pace develops.

“We’re taking a little bit of a shot,” trainer John Sadler said.

Astronomer, a stakes winner in 2021 trained by Simon Callaghan, overcame brief traffic issues in the Seabiscuit to lose to the 68-1 shot Call Sign Seven, a candidate for the Pegasus World Cup Turf trained by Michael McCarthy.

“I think he thought he’d done his job to get past the horse on the lead, and Michael’s came with a wet sail and got a great trip,” Callaghan said.

Astronomer was seventh in the 2024 San Gabriel. The Seabiscuit was the closest Astronomer has come to winning since a third by a half-length in the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile in September 2024.

“I think his last race was one of his better races,” Callaghan said. “It’s been a while since he’s won, but he’s run well in defeat.”

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