Last Tycoon Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds

Las Vegas, NV - Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California will play host to the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stakes on Friday, April 25. Horses three years old and upward will be featured as they go 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita's turf track searching for the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.

A small but quality field of six have been confirmed for the Last Tycoon - race 4 on Santa Anita's Friday card. Post time is 4:30 PM. Here is a brief glance into the past performances of all six entries for this Grade 3 stakes.

2014 Last Tycoon Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Fire With Fire - Neil Drysdale trained gelding enters the Last Tycoon on a nice two race win streak - last time out in gate-to-wire fashion in the 1 1/2 mile Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes here March 22 and in the Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile Handicap at Turf Paradise January 18. He also won the Bull Dog Handicap at Fresno in October. Fire With Fire has a couple of graded stakes results sandwiched in there - a third in the Grade 3 Berkeley Handicap at Golden Gate November 29 and a fifth in the Grade 2 San Gabriel on this track January 4. He has been terrific the last couple of months and served notice last time out on this track that he is the one to beat. Fire With Fire leaves from post 5 with Tyler Baze guiding him.

Joelito - Jerry Hollendorfer trained colt has looked good lately - a win and two seconds in his last three starts overall. Last time out was a second in the minor one-mile Thunder Road Stakes here April 6 with a career best 97 Beyer Speed Figure after an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track March 6 and another second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in February. He has just one graded stakes start which resulted in a seventh in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs last May. Joelito has three wins and three seconds in 10 career starts and hopes for a breakthrough in graded stakes company Friday at a distance he won at two back. He starts from gate 3 with Corey Nakatani aboard.

Last Tycoon Stakes 2014 | Remaining Contenders

Spring Up - John Sadler trained colt makes his graded stakes debut Friday off an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track March 30. Before that was a third on a similar race March 6 and a fifth in his only stakes action to date - the minor Florida Sunshine Millions Turf on January 18. He has five wins, a second and a third place finish in 11 career starts (two wins, a second and a third in four starts on this track) but makes an enormous leap in competition Friday. Spring Up is expected to press the pace with Victor Espinoza aboard for the first time from the outside post.

Last Tycoon Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com

Rookie Sensation - John Shirreffs trained colt has eight career starts with three wins and two second place finishes. He had a stakes debut to remember - a win in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at 8-1 odds at Santa Anita November 1 and before that impressive win was an Allowance Optional Claiming score, a second in a similar race and a maiden score in his second career start on this track June 16. He hasn't been great in his last three starts overall however - a second in an Allowance here March 15 followed an eight in the Grade 2 Strub Stakes on this track January 18 and a fifth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby December 1. Mike Smith gets the call from post 4.

Lakerville - made his graded stakes March 8 and finished sixth in the competitive Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile and followed that with a very respectable second last time out in the Grade 3 San Simeon here April 13. Prior to those results was some success in minor stakes action recently - a second in the Sensational Star Stakes February 22 after a win in the Clocker's Corner Stakes January 26 - both results on this track. Before that was a pair of starts at Del Mar - a second in the Green Flash Handicap in August and an Allowance Optional Claiming score in July. He has five wins and four seconds in 10 career starts and proved last time out that graded stakes company isn't all that intimidating. Brice Blanc will be in the saddle for the first time from post 2 as Lakeville stretches out beyond 6 1/2 furlongs this week.

Quick Casablanca - Christophe Clement trained Argentinean trained entry had 11 career starts in Argentina with three wins, six seconds and two third place finishes. He won two of his last three starts in Argentina before shipping to North America including a Grade 1 race at Hipodromo Argentino De Palmero last March and has three starts in North America with OK results. He makes his 2014 debut Friday after a fifth in the minor Slew O' Gold Stakes at Aqueduct November 17, and an OK fourth in the Grade 2 Bowling Green Stakes in September - his last graded stakes action. He also had a third behind Hyper in the minor John's Call Stakes at Saratoga July 31 after an eighth in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap June 7 and a third in the minor Good Reward Stakes also in May. Quick Casablanca has placed in just two of five North American starts - none of the graded stakes variety and hopes to get on track this Friday. Joe Talamo rides from the rail.