Arcadia Stakes 2015 at Santa Anita

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, January 31 from Santa Anita in Arcadia, California. Horses four years old and upward will be featured when they take to Santa Anita's turf track and go one mile for a purse of $200,000.

A competitive group of nine older entries have been confirmed for the Arcadia Stakes- race 7 on Santa Anita's Saturday schedule. Post time is 3:30 PM. Let's take a glance into the past performances of all nine entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

2015 Arcadia Stakes Race Favorite Entries

Kaigun - Mark Casse trained gelding finished second in three Grade 1 stakes last year - the Woodbine Mile in September, the Manhattan Stakes in June and behind Wise Dan in the Maker's Mile in Keeneland and is coming off a terrific win in his last race of 2014 - over Za Approval the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar November 28. He also won the Grade 2 Play the King Stakes at Woodbine in August but also had a tenth in the Breeders' Cup Mile and a close fourth behind Wise Dan in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile the last four months. Kaigun had 11 starts last year with three wins and three second place finishes - very competitive at times against some terrific competition. He hopes to build on a great effort last time out as the 123 pound highweight with Corey Nakatani in the saddle from gate 4.

Za Approval - had a win, a second and a third place finish in six starts last year and finished fourth in his only start this year - in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes at Gulfstream January 10. Two back was a good second behind Kaigun in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar November 28 which followed a win in the minor Real Courage Stakes at Belmont Park September 7 and the third five back in the Grade 3 Poker Stakes. He was very good in 2013 - a second behind Wise Dan in the Breeders' Cup Mile, wins in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker Stakes, Grade 3 Red Bank Stakes and Grade 3 Appleton Stakes and he had two good runner-up finishes in Grade 1 races in 2013 as well - the Shoemaker Mile and the Woodbine Mile. Za Approval looks as though he is slowly rounding back into the 2013 form that saw him as one of the most impressive horses on the and will be eager to avenge a fourth place finish last time out. Mike Smith gets the mount from gate 8.

Arcadia Stakes 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Home Run Kitten - David Hofmans pupil broke maiden in his second career start -January 11 after a third in a similar race in his debut December 15. His stakes debut resulted in a disappointing fifth - in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes February 8 but he has placed in five of seven stakes starts since. Last time out was a good second in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile here December 26 which followed a disappointing eleventh in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint and a career best effort - a win in the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on this track September 26. He has 11 career starts with four wins, two seconds and has three wins and a second in his last six starts overall - two wins, a second and a third in four one-mile turf start. Joe Talamo gets the mount from post 2 hoping to get a little consistency out of Home Run Kitten.

Avanzare - Tom Proctor pupil has five wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 11 career starts. He is coming off consecutive thirds - in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes last time out at Del Mar and behind Big Bane Theory and Mr. Commons in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile at Santa Anita October 4. Those results followed a win in the Grade 3 Washington Park Handicap in August, a fourth in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap and consecutive Allowance Optional Claiming scores at Churchill Downs. He has two wins, two seconds and a third place finish in five starts at one mile on turf. Avanzare has steadily improved and will have the legendary Gary Stevens in the reins in his cut back in distance from post 9.

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Talco - French bred John Sadler trained colt made his North American debut August 31 and finished a decent third in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby here and followed that with a fifth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita October 31. Last time out was a fifth in the Grade 2 Mathis Brothers Mile on this track December 26 which followed an OK third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar November 29. Before shipping he placed in five of six starts at home - two wins, two seconds and a third place finish - a second in his stakes debut at Deauville July 2 after two wins in three races. Talco will have Drayden Van Dyke in the irons from post 7 as he looks for his first North American score.

Play Hard to Get - has two wins in seven career starts for trainer Eric Kruljac and is coming off a fourth in his only stakes start to date - the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes here December 28. Before that he won two of three races - an Allowance Optional Claiming and Del Mar in November and a maiden in August in his fourth career start. Play Hard to Get looks to break through in stakes company for the first time with Alex Solis aboard from the rail.

Baccelo - Brazilian bred Ringling had two wins and five second place finishes in 10 starts at home before shipping. He has four starts in North America - an ugly eleventh last time out in his stakes debut - the Grade 2 San Pasqual followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Los Alamitos, a third in a similar race at Del Mar in November and a ninth in his North American debut - the minor Independence Day Stakes at Mountaineer in July. He looks to break through in stakes company for the first time with Tiago Josue Pereira in the irons from post 3.

Edge of Reality - Graham Motion trained colt was at his best in 2013 when he won the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx in September but has been up and down since. He has placed in just two of 11 starts since but those results were minor stakes scores - the Alphabet Soup Handicap four back at Parx and the Leemat Stakes in July at Presque Isle Downs. He is coming off an eighth in the Grade 2 San Gabriel on this track January 3 which followed a fifth in the Grade 3 Tropical Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park West November 22. Edge of Reality will turn to jockey Flavian Prat from post 5 Saturday as he looks to get back to his 2013 form.

El Nino Terrible - Peter Miller trained colt has looked good in lesser company the last three starts - two Allowance Optional Claiming scores and a third place finish in a similar race December 20. He has one graded stakes start under his belt - a seventh in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on this track a year ago. El Nino Terrible has nine career starts with three wins and a third place finish and hopes his recent success translates into stakes company. Fernando Hernandez Perez has the mount from post 6.