ARCADIA, Calif. – Closing week at Santa Anita begins Thursday with a program that features the career debut of an expensive 2-year-old filly and veterans worth betting despite poor last-out finishes.
The long Santa Anita season ends Sunday. Los Alamitos opens June 20 for a three-week meet, and the Del Mar summer meet begins Friday, July 18.
The immediate concern is Thursday at Santa Anita, where 2-year-old Himika makes her debut for trainer Bob Baffert in race 2. She is followed in later races by Mark Glatt-trained veterans who are better than recent subpar finishes – Ultimate Gamble in race 5, and Super Ellie in race 7.
Himika sold for $900,000 to Baoma Corp. owners Charles and Susan Chu after breezing 9.8 seconds at the OBS April sale. Himika, by Curlin, is quick. She worked twice recently from the Santa Anita gate, including a sharp half-mile bullet in 46.80 seconds last weekend. Himika must overcome a challenging post, however. The rail has produced just two winners from the last 30 races at five furlongs.
Baffert also entered fast-working Bottle of Rouge, a Vino Rosso filly owned by his wife Jill. The five-runner field includes Stuffy Mist, Kizazi, and Glassheart. The race goes through the Baffert pair. Himika is the one to beat despite the rail draw.
Wagering value ticks upward in race 5, a second-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming race at a mile on dirt that attracted a field of five. Momad enters off an easy-trip allowance win that earned a lofty 96 Beyer Speed Figure. He won’t get the same trip with front-runner Mirahmadi to his outside.
The horse to gamble on is Glatt-trained Ultimate Gamble, who was off nine months before he returned May 4 in a sprint won by stablemate Judge Miller. Ultimate Gamble is a two-turn specialist who was only prepping at 6 1/2 furlongs.
“We know he’s not much of a sprinter,” Glatt said. “Given the time off he’d had, it was the best way to get him started back and set him up for a two-turn race that he would run really well in.”
Ultimate Gamble lagged near the rear in the sprint, lost by more than five lengths, but galloped out in front. It was a better-than-looked comeback by a 5-year-old who wants two turns. Go Joe Won and Arrowthegreat also are entered.
The second Glatt trainee seeking redemption is Super Ellie in race 7, a turf mile allowance for fillies and mares, or horsemen based in Northern California since Jan. 1, 2024. Super Ellie won twice this winter at Santa Anita for trainer Steve Sherman. Glatt claimed her for $20,000 in March.
Neither recent start by Super Ellie was great. She finished fourth in an entry-level allowance, then went favored for a $25,000 claiming tag. Super Ellie lost the race at the break. Away last, she trailed the field and ran on late to split the field under minimal urging.
It was a better-than-looked effort by Super Ellie, who needs a clean takeoff to defeat potential favorite Cornelia Fort, runner-up in a California-bred stakes last out. Stretch-out Andiamo Ragazza is also entered.
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