Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Brown sending in 5 for stakes
The graded stakes winners Favorable Outcome, New Money Honey, and Rymska will be among five runners in graded stakes at Santa Anita later this month for trainer Chad Brown, whose stable leads the nation in earnings.
Brown said Thursday he plans to start Favorable Outcome in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs Dec. 26, New Money Honey and Rymska in the Grade 1 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on turf Dec. 30, and Elysea’s World and Penjade in the Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf Dec. 30.
Through Wednesday, Brown’s stable has earned $25.8 million, well clear of Todd Pletcher, who is second with $22.05 million in earnings.
New Money Honey won the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks in July, but was sixth in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 14. In her only previous start at Santa Anita, New Money Honey won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in November 2016.
Rymska is unbeaten in three starts this year, all stakes on turf, including the Winter Memories Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 23.
Brown said the $300,000 American Oaks will be the final race for New Money Honey and Rymska before they are given a rest until the spring.
“It’s a last opportunity to run in a Grade 1 for 3-year-old fillies,” he said. “We’ve kept them in training a little longer.”
Favorable Outcome won the Grade 2 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream in June. He won an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs at Aqueduct on Nov. 26.
Other Malibu candidates include Edwards Going Left, who won the Cary Grant Stakes for California-breds at Del Mar on Nov. 19; Irish Freedom, who was second in the Grade 3 Native Diver Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 25; and Pavel, who was 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4.
The Malibu is one of four stakes on the Dec. 26 openingday program at Santa Anita. The Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs Dec. 26 is expected to be led by the multiple stakes winners Paradise Woods and Unique Bella.
Trainer Jeff Bonde will have two starters: the stakes winners Miss Sunset and Princess Karen.
In the $150,000 Frankel Stakes, Penjade will try to win her second consecutive stakes. She won the Forever Together Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 25. Expected Frankel entrant Elysea’s World has yet to win a stakes, but has been second or third in five graded stakes in the last 18 months.
Wildfire relief passes $650,000
More than $650,000 has been raised to aid people affected by the wildfire that struck the San Luis Rey Downs training center on Dec. 7, according to a statement released by Del Mar on Wednesday.
The donations were collected through a GoFundMe account administered by Santa Anita and Del Mar. Santa Anita’s parent company, The Stronach Group, owns San Luis Rey Downs in Bonsall, Calif. Del Mar is housing approximately 250 horses displaced by the fire. Del Mar is open for training for those horses as San Luis Rey Downs undergoes renovation.
The fire destroyed eight barns. According to the California Horse Racing Board, 46 horsed died in the fire. There were approximately 450 horses based at San Luis Rey Downs at the time of the fire.
Wednesday’s statement said a committee of five racing executives has approved the distribution of $250,000 to aid more than 200 backstretch employees affected by the fire. Many have lost personal possessions. The employees were to receive $500 each for living expenses, according to the statement.
The California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation is distributing the funds. Financial assistance will also be provided to trainers, depending on the size of their stables, to offer support for equipment and basic stable needs.