Santa Anita is set to host a nine-race card on Thursday to compensate for recent cancellations due to rain at the Arcadia Racetrack in California. Highlighted in the lineup are the $100,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3) and the $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes, both initially planned for this Sunday and to be run on Santa Anita’s Camino Real Turf Course.
Multiple race days at Santa Anita were called off since the start of the Classic Meet on December 26, with over nine inches of rain recorded since December 23. Rain was forecasted to continue into Sunday but is expected to ease later in the week. The status of Sunday’s nine-race program, including the Las Flores Stakes (G3), will be determined on the morning of the event. The Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed to the following Saturday, January 10. Other canceled races from Saturday will be rescheduled in the second condition book slated for mid-January.
Thursday’s postponed races include the Robert J. Frankel Stakes, featuring a field of eight older fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles on turf. The main contenders are noted winners Public Assembly and Paradise Lake. Public Assembly, trained by Phil D’Amato and owned by Abbondanza Racing, McNulty Thoroughbreds, and Medallion Racing, will be ridden by Humberto Rispoli, replacing the injured Antonio Fres. More Than Lady, a 4-year-old daughter of Public Assembly, recently finished a close second at Del Mar.
Paradise Lake, trained by Peter Urton for CRK Stable, recently placed third in the Red Carpet Stakes and previously won a 1 1/8-mile turf race at Santa Anita in October. She will be ridden by Juan Hernandez. The Robert J. Frankel Stakes will be the seventh race of the day, with a post time around 3:30 PM PT.
The Eddie Logan Stakes, another turf race rescheduled after postponement, will feature seven 3-year-olds, including Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) runner-up Stark Contrast and G3 winner Unrivaled Time. Stark Contrast, trained by Michael McCarthy for Ammerman Racing, narrowly lost the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and won his last two starts, including the Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita. Kazushi Kimura will be the jockey.
Unrivaled Time, trained by Leonard Powell and bred by Alfred “Sonny” Pais, triumphed in the Grade III Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar and will be ridden by Diego Herrera. The Eddie Logan will be the third race on Thursday’s card, starting around 1 PM.
Fan Take: This rescheduling showcases the resilience and adaptability of the horse racing community amid challenging weather, ensuring top-tier competition continues without compromise. For fans, it means witnessing stellar matchups that could shape key standings and highlight rising stars in the sport.
