Weekend Stakes Races – Marshua’s River Stakes and Grade II San Fernando

Post-times: Marshua’s River at 4:35 pm EST and San Fernando at 6:36 pm EST

There are three graded races on Santa Anita’s Saturday card this weekend. All three figure to be competitive although finding a price in any of the three could prove to be challenging.

The Race of the Week will be the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes. I’ve got a separate write up on that race. The two races that make up my Weekend Stakes Races article are the Marshua’s River Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Grade II San Fernando Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Gulfstream Park – Race 8

Marshua’s River Stakes

$100,000

For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward

1 1/16 th miles on turf

It’s tough to look past the Christophe Clement and Edgar Prado ridden Belle Allure. The five year old mare out of Numerous has 2 wins, a second, and a third in her four races since going to Clement’s barn. Allure can be part of a slow pace or lay a few lengths off. It all depends on what Prado feels like doing with the horse. Allure won the Grade III Athenia in its last and should be ultra tough in this race. Lady Shakespeare had won 4 races in a row before failing on the soft going in the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Cup in its last. Terrific Canadian trainer Roger Attfield trains this filly sired by Theatrical. The jockey switch to Julien Leparoux should only help Lady Shakespeare in this. Todd Pletcher sends out West Ocean, a $400,000 buy, out of Elusive Quality. West Ocean has never finished worse than 2 nd in four lifetime races and is riding a three game winning streak. West Ocean could surprise at big odds.

• Belle Allure
• Lady Shakespeare
• West Ocean

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Santa Anita – Race 7

Grade II San Fernando Stakes

$150,000

For Four Year Olds

1 1/16 th miles on Pro-Ride

Papa Clem, who finished 3 rd in the Strubb Stakes in its last, should have everything go its way in the San Fernando. The 2009 Arkansas Derby winner is the classiest horse in this race, stretches out from 7 furlongs to this more favorable distance and has busted three bullet works since the Dec. 26 th Strubb. Papa Clem should win the San Fernando easily. Mythical Power got run off its feet in the Strubb when finishing 10 th and losing by 6 ¼ lengths. Like Papa Clem the 1 1/16 th mile distance of the San Fernando should be more to Mythical Power’s liking. The Bob Baffert trainee has been working brilliantly in the mornings and should be geared up to take on Papa Clem in this race. Gallant Son finished second to the brilliant The Usual QT in the Grade III Sir Beuafort Stakes in its last. That was an awesome run because The Usual QT is one of the best turf horses in the United States. This will be Gallant Son’s second race off of an extended layoff. I expect the horse to be even better in the San Fernando than it was in the Sir Beaufort.

• Papa Clem
• Mythical Power
• Gallant Son