San Luis Rey Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes comes our way this Saturday, March 16 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A purse of $150,000 will be on the line for horses four years old and upward willing to go 1 1/2 miles on Santa Anita's turf track.
The San Luis Stakes has attracted a field of nine older horses for race 8 on Santa Anita's Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:07 PM. Here is a brief look into the credentials of all nine entries for this Grade 2 stakes.
2013 San Luis Rey Stakes Race Favorites
Bourbon Bay - Bourbon Bay comes into the San Luis Rey off a disappointing sixth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup December 15 after an eighth in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf interrupted a two race win streak - the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap here in April and last year's San Luis Rey here in March. He has nine career wins in 28 starts and two wins in four starts in 2012 and will be looking to eclipse the $1 million mark. Bourbon Bay won this race twice before and will be looking to shrug his recent poor outings in his favorite event.
Slim Shadey - won the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship September 30 to put himself on the map but didn't do much after that - a tepid eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, an OK fourth in the Hollywood Turf Cup and a distant sixth as favorite in the Grade 2 San Gabriel here January 13. Last time out was a great repeat win in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes in gate-to-wire fashion on this track February 9. He had three straight second place finishes in graded stakes action early in 2012 including last year's version of this race behind Bourbon Bay. Gary Stevens will get the mount again on Slim Shadey, hoping to build on the terrific San Marcos score.
San Luis Rey Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
Interaction - Former Argentinean Horse of the Year Interaction has yet to find the form that made him a star in his native land. He had a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming here on June 16 and a decent second to Acclamation in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes on July 21 but had a disappointing fifth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap August 25. He had an OK third in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf at Santa Anita September 30 but followed that with an ugly seventh in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap here November 23. His last two starts have yielded good seconds - the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes at Hollywood Park December 15 and the Grade 2 San Marcos last time out behind Slim Shadey. Interaction is getting closer to realizing his lofty goals but has yet to record a stakes win in the US.
All Squared Away - Peter Miller pupil had a very impressive win in the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes on April 21 at Keeneland. Since then All Squared Away has been all over the map - a pair of fifths, a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Swaps Stakes, an Allowance Optional Claiming score August 12 at Del Mar, a terrible twelfth in the Grade 3 Hawthorne Derby, a fourth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby November 2 here, an eighth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby and finally a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track January 6. Last time out was an OK third behind Slim Shadey and Interaction in the Grade 2 San Marcos here February 9. He tries the longer distance for the first time and enters in so-so form.
San Luis Rey Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
John Scott - has six wins, a second and two third place finishes in 12 career starts but he has zero career graded stakes wins. He was an OK fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile three back and followed that with a decent third in the Grade 2 San Pasqual on this track January 5. Last time out was a good win on turf in the minor Crystal Water Stakes here January 26.
Huntsville - Stakes placed gelding had consecutive runner-up finishes ahead of the San Marcos Stakes where he finished a disappointing fifth - at the Crystal Water Stakes and a Claiming race both on this track. Last time out was a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here March 3.
Fire With Fire - made his graded stakes debut with a very good third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap and followed that with a sixth in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship September 30. He had a fifth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup December 15 and more recently ran second in an Allowance Optional Claiming to All Squared Away, had an OK fourth two back in the Grade 2 San Marcos here February 8 and a second last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track February 3. Fire With Fire hasn't tasted victory in over a year - an Allowance at Saratoga.
Tiz Gianni - has 14 career starts with four wins, two seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a nice win in the minor Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile at Turf Paradise January 12 after a seventh two back in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup. Before that race was a short layoff and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar in August. He has won two of his last three starts but didn't look great in his only graded stakes action.
Bright Thought - has just six career starts with three wins but Saturday will mark his graded stakes debut. He comes into the San Luis Rey on a two race win streak - an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out February 21 followed a win in the Starter Stakes at Santa Anita February 3.
