San Luis Rey Stakes 2016 at Santa Anita Park

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes will be contested at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California on Sunday, March 13. Horses four years old and upward will be featured when they take to Santa Anita's turf track and race 1 1/2 miles for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.

A wide open field of 12 older turf horses have been entered in the San Luis Rey Stakes - race 8 on Santa Anita's Sunday card. Post time is 4:00 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 12 combatants for this Grade 2 stakes.

2016 San Luis Rey Stakes Race Preview

Big John B - was on fire this past summer for trainer Phil D'Amato with three straight wins including the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap in July and the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap (a race he's now won two straight years) but stumbled four starts back finishing tenth in the Breeders' Cup Turf. He posted a third place finish last time out in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston January 30 after an eighth in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita January 2 and a better runner-up finish behind The Pizza Man in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup November 26. Big John B now has 38 career starts with 14 wins, six seconds and five third place finishes. He is a bit difficult to figure out ahead of this weekend and departs from post 11 with Rafael Bejarano in the reins as one of the likely favorites.

Gaga A - Uruguayan trained Neil Drysdale trained mare started her career in South America and moved to France where she won a Group 3 race November 11, 2014. She has been OK in four starts since - all on North American soil. Last time out was a respectable second against males in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes here February 6 after a fifth in the minor Astra Stakes on this track January 17, a third in the Grade 3 Modesty Handicap at Arlington in July and a nice win at this distance in the minor Possibly Perfect Handicap at Arlington in June. Gaga A has placed in four of her last five starts overall and will be after her first graded stakes win - from gate 10 with Mario Gutierrez guiding her.

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Going Somewhere - Brazilian bred Neil Drysdale trainee made his North American debut last May and finished an OK third in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes and has just two starts since - a decent second in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes June 28 and an ugly ninth in the Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston January 30. His last two starts overseas resulted in seventh place finishes - the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Cadran in October and the Group 3 Qatar Prix Gladiateur in September - both results at Longchamp. Going Somewhere has three wins, five seconds and seven third place finishes in 24 career starts and looks for his first win since 2012. Mike Smith will be in the irons from gate 4.

Havanna Belle - Phil D'Amato trained filly has three wins, a second and two third place finishes and enters off a career best effort - a 2 1/4 length win in the minor Astra Stakes at this distance on this track January 17. He failed to place in his previous three starts however - an eighth place finish in an Allowance Optional Claiming here December 30 followed another eighth in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap November 21 and a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming November 7. Havanna Belle hadn't looked great before last time out but hopes to build on a nice outing - from post 7 with Brice Blanc guiding her.

Quick Casablanca - Chilean bred Ronald McAnally was terrific at home placing in all 11 starts including a win in the Group 1 Asociacion Latinoamericana in 2012. He was OK once he arrived in North America - a win in the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stakes in April, 2014 and a second in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Stakes two months later being the best results. He has failed to place in five starts in 2015 however including a fifth in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November and another fifth in the 2015 Last Tycoon Stakes. He has two starts in 2016 - an OK third in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes here February 6 followed a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming also on this track January 14. Quick Casablanca has four wins, seven seconds and six third place finishes in 26 career starts and looks for his first win in nearly two years - from gate 2 with Tyler Baze in the reins.

Patentar - French bred Simon Callaghan trainee had two wins and three third place finishes in 11 starts in Europe and has four starts in North America. Last time out was a good win in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track February 7 after an eighth, a third and a seventh respectively in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Del Mar. He makes his stakes debut off a career best effort and steps up from the outside gate 12 with Alonso Quinonez in the saddle.

Power Foot - Neil Drysdale trained gelding has just four wins and six third place finishes in 25 career starts. He started 2015 with an Allowance Optional Claiming score and went on to consecutive respectable runner-up finishes - the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes in February and the 2015 San Luis Rey Stakes in March. He enters off an ugly seventh in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes here February 6 after an OK third in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup, an eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here October 30 and a fourth in the Grade 3 Last Tycoon Stakes in April. Power Foot has placed in just one of his last four starts overall and looks for his first graded stakes score in his eleventh try. Gary Stevens gets the call from post 3.

Highball - has three wins, a second and five third place finishes in 15 career starts for trainer Phil D'Amato. Last time out was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Fair Grounds January 15 after a seventh in a similar race at Kentucky Downs in September, an eighth in the Grade 3 American St. Leger Stakes at Arlington in August and an Allowance Optional Claiming score in June. He has recorded third place finishes in two graded stakes races - the Grade 3 Colonel ER Bradley Handicap in January, 2015 and the Grade 3 American Derby in July, 2014 but looks for his first stakes win in his eighth try Saturday. Flavien Prat will be aboard from gate 8 hoping to accomplish that goal.

Energia Fribby - Brazilian bred Neil Drysdale trained mare has five wins, four seconds and three third place finishes in 19 career starts. She spent the majority of her career overseas and had limited success including off-the-board finishes in two Group 2 stakes at Meydan. She has four starts in North America - a second last time out in the minor Astra Stakes here January 17 followed a ninth in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar November 21, a seventh in the minor Kathryn Crosby Stakes at Del Mar November 7 and a third in the minor Swingtime Stakes on this track in October. Energia Fribby hasn't been all that impressive but hopes to change her fortune around from gate 6 Saturday. Drayden Van Dyke gets the call.

Southern Freedom - Jerry Hollendorfer pupil has six wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in 19 career starts. He won an Allowance Optional Claiming here in October and quickly jumped into stakes company for the first time in November when he finished seventh in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup. Southern Freedom has one start since - a fifth in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes in this track February 6. He has placed in just one of his last five starts overall and looks for his first stakes win Saturday. Martin Garcia rides from the rail.

Life's Journey - Marsh Schwizer trained gelding races in stakes company for the first time Saturday having recorded just two wins, a second and four third place finishes in 21 career starts. He enters off consecutive ninth place finishes in Allowance Optional Claiming races in this track this year. They followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar in November and a third in a similar race on this track in October. Life's Journey steps up in less-than-spectacular form and leaves from post 5 with Jose Verenzuela aboard.

Generosidade - started his career in Uruguay and France where he posted four wins, two seconds and two third place finishes. He has three North American starts and he failed to place in any. Last time out was a sixth in the minor Astra Stakes here January 17 after consecutive seventh place finishes - the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes here in June and the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes also on this track in May. Generosidade hopes for a major breakthrough Saturday but enters in uninspiring form. Tiago Josue Pereira has the mount from post 9.

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2016 San Luis Rey Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Santa Anita's Sunday card with a Post Time of 7:00 PM.