Arcadia Stakes 2014 Contenders & Odds
Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 2 Arcadia Stakes is on tap for Santa Anita Park in beautiful Arcadia, California this Saturday, February 1. Horses four years old and upward will take to Santa Anita’s turf track and go one mile searching for the winner’s portion of the $200,000 purse.
A field of 12 older horses have been confirmed for the Arcadia – race 8 on Santa Anita’s Saturday card. Post time is 4:00 PM. Here is a brief look into the credentials of all 12 combatants for this Grade 2 stakes.
Suggestive Boy – made his US debut after three straight wins in Grade 1 races in Argentina with a very good second in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on June 30, 2012. He followed that with a win in the Wickerr Stakes on July 25 and a pair of fifth place finishes in a pair of Grade 1 races – the Pacific Classic Stakes and the Awesome Again Stakes here last September. He has won two straight ahead of the this weekend – last year’s Arcadia Stakes at here February 2 and last time out – in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes also at Santa Anita way back on March 2. This after a pedestrian seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Mile in November, 2012. He returns from an eight month layoff Saturday looking to regain the form that saw him dominate before injury and looking to repeat in this very race. Joe Talamo gets the mount from post 8.
Vagabond Shoes – Irish bred gelding raced in North America for the first time in the 2012 Arcadia February 2 and finished ninth for trainer John Sadler and followed that with an equally disappointing eighth in the Grade 1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 3 at Santa Anita. He has been better of late – a second in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes behind Jeranimo at 23-1 odds here July 20 was followed by a nice win August 24 in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap and another good second in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf here September 29. Last time out was a fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He has a win and two seconds in his last four graded stakes starts and is looking decent ahead of this weekend. Regular rider Victor Espinoza will be in the saddle Saturday looking for Vagabond Shoes’ fifth win in 16 tries on turf.
No Jet Lag – had seven starts in Europe with two wins and a second place finish but has been good on North American soil for trainer Simon Callahan. He debuted in the US with an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar August 11 and followed that with a nice win with a Beyer Spree Figure of 105 in the Grade 2 City of Hope Mile on this track October 5. He took a huge step up in competition and finished sixth behind Wise Dan in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and last time out continued to look a tad disappointing – a seventh as favorite in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes on this track December 26. Corey Nakatani gets the call from the far outside post.
Winning Prize – multiple Grade 1 winner and Argentinean bred colt had eight starts at home with five wins and a second place finish including two straight wins (the Grade 1 Joaquin S. de Anchorena in December being the last). He has just three starts since – an Allowance Optional Claiming score in his North American debut at Del Mar August 22 after a nine month layoff, an OK fourth in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile October 5 at Keeneland and a decent third last time out in the Grade 2 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park November 29. He has won three of four starts on turf at this distance and will have Rafael Bejarano in the saddle Saturday.
Arcadia Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Procurement – Tom Proctor trained colt had a streak of five off-the-board finishes snapped with an Allowance score at Hollywood Park November 28 and he followed that with a good second last time out in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort Stakes on this track December 26. The off-the-board results include a fifth in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby November 1, a fourth in the minor Uniformity Stakes, fourths in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby and the Grade 3 American Derby and a fifth in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic in May. He has one stakes score under his belt already – the minor La Puente Stake in April among his four career wins. Procurement has 15 career starts with those wins, two seconds and a third place finish. He appears to be over his funk and enters this weekend in good form with apprentice jockey Drayden Van Dyke pegged to ride him.
Regally Ready – Steve Asmussen trainee won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in 2011 – the last time he tasted victory before an Allowance score at Keeneland in October 2013. He also had an Allowance Optional Claiming score at this distance on turf last time out here January 1 after a fourth in a similar race in November. He has placed in just two of his last 11 starts overall (no stakes) but those came in the form of wins in his last three starts. Regally Ready has four wins and two third place finishes on Santa Anita lawn and will have Mike Smith aboard Saturday.
Unbridled’s Note – Steve Asmussen trained colt is coming off a terrific win in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes here December 28 after a good second along with Chips All In in the minor Hollywood Turf Express Handicap at Hollywood Park December 8 and a respectable fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Before that was a third as 5-2 favorite in the Grade 3 Eddie D, an ugly eighth in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Stakes in May and a good second in the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Stakes here in April. He has placed in 11 of his last 13 overall with three wins over that span and is competitive virtually every time out. Kent Desormeaux gets the call in Unbridled Not’s fourth try around two turns.
Si Sage – French bred colt makes just his fifth start on North American soil – the first being a fifth in the minor Oceanside Stakes at Del Mar July 17, the second being another fifth in the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap. He followed that with a tenth in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 1 and finally a breakthrough -a third behind Procurement in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort here last time out December 26. At home he had three wins, five seconds and a third place finish in 11 career starts. He had been disappointing before an OK result in the Sir Beaufort and will be looking to keep trending upward Saturday.
Tom’s Tribute – has seven career starts for trainer James Cassidy entered the Sir Beaufort on a two race win streak – in the overnight Uniformity Stakes by 2 1/4 lengths on the hillside turf track here October 20 which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score also here September 29. He finished sixth last time out in the Grade 2 Sir Beaufort December 26 – the first time he was worse than second in six starts. Tom’s Tribute will be looking for a strong bounce back Saturday as he looks to avenge a career worst performance in the Sir Beaufort.
Peace and Justice – John Sherreffs trained colt makes his stakes debut after just four career starts – two wins including an Allowance here in gate-to-wire fashion last time out January 5 and two eighth place finishes.
