Cat Burglar eyes Precisionist

ARCADIA, Calif. – Cat Burglar, the winner of the 2016 Santana Mile and an optional claimer in March in his only start this year, is likely to represent leading stakes trainer Bob Baffert in the Grade 3 Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Baffert nominated Cat Burglar and Collected, the winner of the Santana Mile on April 1 and the Grade 2 Californian Stakes on April 22. The trainer said on Sunday that Cat Burglar is expected to start in the $100,000 Precisionist Stakes, while Collected is more likely to run in the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap in Iowa on July 8.

The $300,000 Cornhusker is run at 1 1/8 miles. Cat Burglar worked five furlongs Sunday in 59.20 seconds, while Collected was timed in 59.60 for the same distance.

Through Sunday, Baffert led all trainers at the springsummer meeting with eight stakes wins, three more than Phil D’Amato.

The Precisionist Stakes is not expected to have a large field. Another probable candidate is Accelerate, who was third in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes here in February. More recently, Accelerate was second to Danzing Candy in an optional claimer at a mile May 5. Danzing Candy won the Grade 3 Lone Star Park Handicap in Texas on May 28.

The list of probable starters for Saturday’s Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles is led by Battle of Midway, who was third in the Kentucky Derby on May 6. Battle of Midway was second by a half-length in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April in his last start in California. Term of Art, seventh in the Santa Anita Derby and 10th in the Preakness Stakes on May 20, is another expected runner.

No injuries for September Stars

September Stars, pulled up after winning the $77,995 Possibly Perfect Stakes on June 4, recently underwent a battery of tests that showed no significant injuries, trainer Paddy Gallagher said last week.

Gallagher said he plans to give September Stars a onemonth rest before she is reassessed. The condition of a front ankle caused some concern, and it will be examined this summer, Gallagher said.

“We’ll back off and give her some time,” Gallagher said. “We’ll rescan her in 30 days and go from there.”

September Stars is unbeaten in three starts in the United States, all this year. The Possibly Perfect Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf was her American stakes debut.

After the race, she was pulled up by jockey Gary Stevens on the backstretch. Stevens said immediately after the race that he “erred on the side of caution” when he dismounted from September Stars.

September Stars, a 4-yearold Irish-bred filly by Sea The Stars, has won 5 of 11 starts and earned $129,781. Owned by Edward Easton and Andrew Rosen, September Stars was ninth and eighth in stakes in England last August and September before joining Gallagher’s stable over the winter.

Saudi Chroma works

Saudi Chroma, a debut winner by 3 1/4 lengths on May 25, worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds Sunday for an expected start in the $100,000 Landaluce Stakes at six furlongs on July 2. The Landaluce Stakes is the only stakes for 2-year-old fillies at the spring-summer meeting, which ends July 4.

Saudi Chroma is owned by Amr Zedan and trained by Doug O’Neill. By Lucky Pulpit, Saudi Chroma was purchased for $360,000 at the Barretts March sale of select 2-year-olds in training, the most expensive filly at the sale.