Collusion Illusion points to Palos Verdes

Collusion Illusion, third in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, is scheduled to start in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes on Jan. 23, a race not expected to include C Z Rocket, who was second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in November.

Collusion Illusion, the winner of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes against older horses at Del Mar last August, was 12th of 14 in the BC Sprint at Keeneland. In the Malibu Stakes at seven furlongs, Collusion Illusion closed from fifth in a field of six to finish five lengths behind easy winner Charlatan.

Flavien Prat rode Collusion Illusion in all six of the colt’s starts in 2020, but will miss the mount in the $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs. Prat is scheduled to ride at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 23 for the Pegasus World Cup Invitational card.

Trainer Mark Glatt said on Friday that he has not finalized a riding assignment for Collusion Illusion, who has won 5 of 9 starts, including three stakes.

Since the Malibu, Collusion Illusion has had one workout, a half-mile in 48.40 seconds.

“I think everything is in good order,” Glatt said on Friday. “He stays on a pretty even keel. He came back to train like he normally does, which is aggressively.”

C Z Rocket won the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar in August and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs in October. In the BC Sprint, C Z Rocket finished 3 1/4 lengths behind Whitmore, a loss that ended a five-race winning streak.

Trainer Peter Miller said on

Friday that C Z Rocket will be pointed for the $150,000 King Cotton Stakes at six furlongs at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 6. Miller said C Z Rocket will be sent to Oaklawn Park in Arkansas because that state allows horses to be treated with the anti-bleeder medication Lasix.

Since Jan. 1, all stakes in California with the exception of stakes for older Californiabreds are Lasix-free.

Miller is considering Captain Scotty and Shashashakemeup for the Palos Verdes.

Captain Scotty won the 2020 Palos Verdes. More recently, Captain Scotty won an allowance/optional claiming race in which he was eligible to be claimed for $40,000 at Los Alamitos on Dec. 6. Owned by Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber, Captain Scotty was scratched from a $40,000 claimer at Santa Anita last Sunday in favor of the Palos Verdes.

“The owners were afraid to lose him for $40,000 the other day,” Miller said.

Shashashakemeup was second in an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Nov. 27 in his first start for owner Tom Kagele and Miller since being claimed for $50,000 there on Oct. 28.

Cistron, the winner of the 2019 Bing Crosby, may start in the Palos Verdes, trainer John Sadler said on Friday. Cistron has not started since a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes on turf last May.

Sadler said that Flagstaff, second in the Palos Verdes and Santa Anita Sprint Championship in 2020, will not start in this year’s Palos Verdes. A 7-year-old, Flagstaff could start at Oaklawn Park.

Express Train to San Pasqual

Express Train, second to the highly regarded Charlatan in the Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26, is likely to have his 4-yearold debut in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Jan. 30.

Trainer John Shirreffs said on Friday that the $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes is an immediate goal instead of the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs on Jan. 23.

“That would be the preferred race,” Shirreffs said of the San Pasqual. “He can always come back and sprint later if it doesn’t work out.”

In the seven-furlong Malibu, Express Train closed from last of six to finish 4 3/4 lengths behind Charlatan, a candidate for the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 20.

Shirreffs is forming plans for three 3-year-olds in his stable – Parnelli and Waspirant, who were well beaten when third and fourth in the Grade 3 Sham Stake at a mile at Santa Anita on Jan. 2, and Red Flag, fourth as the 9-10 favorite in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 19.

Workouts in coming days will determine whether those colts start in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 30 or the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 6.

Red Flag won the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 15, but finished 8 1/2 lengths behind Spielberg in the Los Alamitos Futurity.

“We’re still scratching our heads over that race,” Shirreffs said.