2016 Malibu Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G1 Malibu Stakes will be run Monday, December 26 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Horses three years old will be featured when they saddle up and go seven furlongs on Santa Anita's dirt track for the winner's share of the $300,000 purse.

A field of 10 will take to the track in the Malibu Stakes - race 8 on Santa Anita's opening day Monday card. Post time is 4:00 PM. Here is a glance into the past performances of all 10 combatants for this intriguing and important G1 stakes.

2016 Malibu Stakes Entries at Santa Anita Park

Mind Your Biscuits 5-2 - Robert Falcone trained colt has placed in 10 of 12 career starts - three wins, four seconds and three third place finishes. He enters off a respectable third (elevated to second) at 15-1 odds in the Breeders' Cup Sprint here November 5 which followed a second in the G3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx September 24, a fifth in the G1 King's Bishop Stakes August 27 and a nice two race win streak - the G2 Amsterdam Stakes July 30 (his graded stakes debut) and an Allowance race at Belmont Park July 3. Before that was an OK second in the minor Mike Lee Stakes at Belmont Park May 30, a third in an Allowance May 7 and a maiden score at Aqueduct in April. Mind Your Biscuits has been a factor in every career start so far and tries for his biggest win to date from gate 2. Joel Rosario rides.

Sharp Azteca 3-1 - Jorge Navarro trained colt has four wins and two runner-up finishes in his eight career starts. His best career effort came in May - a win in the G3 Pat Day Mile Stakes at Churchill Downs. He has been OK in three starts since - a win last time out in the minor City of Laurel Stakes November 19 followed a second in the minor Super Derby Prelude Stakes at Louisiana Downs August 6 and a fourth in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park in June. Sharp Azteca has been decent so far and shoots for a second graded stakes score from post 7 Monday. Edgar Zayas will be in the irons.

Ten Blessings 3-1 - has just four career starts for trainer Bob Baffert with two wins. He makes his stakes debut Monday off an impressive Allowance Optional Claiming score here November 4, a fifth and a seventh respectively in two more Allowance Optional Claiming races and a maiden score at first asking - on this track in February. Ten Blessings has won both career starts on this track and hopes to keep the roll going in his giant step up in competition. Rafael Bejarano will be in the saddle from gate 4.

Mor Spirit 6-1 - Bob Baffert trained Ringling has eight career starts with three wins and four second place finishes. He was last seen way back in May when he ran tenth in the Kentucky Derby. That result followed consecutive second place finishes - behind Exaggerator in the G1 Santa Anita Derby April 9 and in the G2 San Felipe Stakes on this track March 12. Before that were terrific wins in the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes February 6 and in the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity with a 96 Beyer Speed Figure December 19. He's also posted a respectable second in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs November 28, 2015 and a maiden score by an eye-opening 4 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita October 23. Mor Spirit had been a threat in every race before his tenth last time out and will be out to avenge that result in his first race in seven months. Mike Smith gets the call from gate 8.

Awesome Banner 8-1 - Mark Casse trained colt has placed in nine of 11 career starts - six wins and three second place finishes. He won his first three career starts including the G3 Hutcheson Stakes in January and the G2 Swale Stakes in February and struggled in his next two graded stakes starts. He picked up his game after that - three wins and three seconds in six starts since. Last time out was a second in the minor Steel Valley Sprint Stakes at Mahoning Valley November 21 after a wins in the Foolish Pleasure Stakes and the minor Prized Stakes (both at Gulfstream) and consecutive seconds including the G3 Carry Back Stakes at Gulfstream in July. Awesome Banner is expected to be competitive yet again Monday when he leaves from post 9 with Julien Leparoux in the irons.

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Jazzy Times 8-1 - Bob Baffert trained colt has two wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in his seven career starts. He made his stakes debut October 8 and finished a respectable third in the G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship and followed that with an OK second in the minor Damascus Stakes here November 4 and a third last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar December 4. Jazzy Times has been in every race so far and will be after his first stakes score from post 5 with Martin Garcia guiding him.

Semper Fortis 12-1 - won a couple of races last winter for trainer Doug O'Neill - the best of which was an Allowance Optional Claiming in December. Since then he's been OK - a sixth in the G3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita in January was followed by a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming in February, a decent second behind Accelerate in the minor Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar August 26, a good second in the G2 Los Alamitos Derby in September, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming here October 30 and a second last time out in the minor Zia Park Derby November 23. Semper Fortis has placed in five straight races ahead of this weekend and will be after a first stakes score from post 3. Mario Gutierrez will be in the saddle.

Navy Hymn 20-1 - has placed in 10 of 12 career starts for trainer Richard Baltas - six wins, three seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a third in the minor Damascus Stakes here November 4 which followed a fifth in his only graded stakes debut - the G3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx September 24, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar August 21 and a fourth in the minor Speedball Starter Handicap on this track in July. He won four straight races on this track before that - all Allowance and Claiming races. Navy Hymn has been just OK in his career so far and will be after a career defining win from the rail Monday. Luis Contreras gets the call.

Who's Out 20-1 - has two wins and three second place finishes in nine career starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. He has placed in just one of his last four starts ahead of this weekend - a fourth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar December 4 followed a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming here October 29, an eighth in his only graded stakes action to date - the G3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx in September and a six in the minor Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar in August. Who's Out hasn't been all that impressive lately but hopes to change things around from gate 6 Monday. Flavien Prat is scheduled to ride.

Horse Greedy 30-1 - has two wins and two seconds in seven career starts for trainer Brian Koriner. He makes his stakes debut Monday off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar November 18, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Los Alamitos September 10 and off-the-board finishes in his previous two. Horse Greedy is trending upward ahead of this weekend but could find himself in over his head here. James Theriot has the mount.

2016 Malibu Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 8 on Santa Anita's Monday card with a Post Time of 6:31 PM.