Santa Anita Park is set to host an exciting nine-race program on Friday, May 16, 2025. The day features a mix of starter, claiming, allowance, and maiden races, with competitive fields and attractive prize purses across various age groups and classifications.
The opening race of the day is a starter stakes race run over a distance of 6 furlongs. It is open to three-year-olds and upward that have previously started for a claiming price of $50,000 or less and have never won three races. The race carries a total purse of $36,000 and features five contenders. BINGING will be ridden by Armando Ayuso and trained by Antonio C. Garcia. CARVER is partnered with jockey Tyler Baze and trained by John E. Cortez. BELLY UP will have Kazushi Kimura in the irons and is trained by Brian J. Koriner. AGENCY will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike E. Smith and is trained by Mark Glatt. The final entry, BETTERDAYSRCOMING, will be ridden by Hector Isaac Berrios and trained by John W. Sadler.
The second race is a claiming event over 5½ furlongs, open to three-year-olds or four-year-olds and up that have never won two races. It offers a purse of $26,000, with a claiming price set at $25,000. The field includes six runners: NOVINOPHOBIA (J: Armando Ayuso / T: Bill McLean), THE KEY IS UNITY (J: Armando Aguilar / T: Genaro Vallejo), MONGOLIAN MASTER (J: Damian Diaz Cruz / T: Robert J. Lucas), TROTSKY (J: Kyle Frey / T: Jose Hernandez, Jr.), WESTERN AVENUE (J: Assael Espinoza / T: Steve R. Knapp), and DISTANT FLEET (J: William Antongeorgi III / T: Jorge Periban).
The third race is a claiming event for fillies aged three or fillies and mares aged four and up who have never won two races. It will be run over 1 1/8 miles and offers a prize purse of $26,000. The contenders include STEP IT OUT (J: Hector Isaac Berrios / T: Philip D’Amato), LITA WAY (J: Kazushi Kimura / T: Steve M. Sherman), GIRLCANTHELPIT (J: Kyle Frey / T: Gary Mandella), BLUE OASIS (J: Jeremy Laprida / T: Tim Yakteen), AURATIUM (J: Juan J. Hernandez / T: Michael W. McCarthy), and THEBESTISYETTOBE (J: Antonio Fresu / T: Philip D’Amato).
The fourth race of the day is for two-year-old maiden fillies, covering a sprint distance of 4½ furlongs with a generous purse of $60,000. The entries for this juvenile contest are LA VILLE LUMIERE (J: Kazushi Kimura / T: Michael W. McCarthy), LIGHT WON UP (J: Antonio Fresu / T: Doug F. O’Neill), TIPPY (J: Cristobal Herrera / T: George L. Lopez), FIRE ILE (J: Drayden Van Dyke / T: Ryan Hanson), WICKED WIND (J: Armando Aguilar / T: Edwin G. Alvarez), and VELVET DREAM (J: Tiago Josue Pereira / T: George L. Lopez).
The fifth race is an allowance event over 6 furlongs, offering a purse of $31,000. The race is open to three-year-olds and upward based in Northern California since January 1, 2024, who have never won $15,000 once other than maiden, claiming, starter, or state-bred events, or who have never won two races. The field includes ZEUS’ WAR (J: Assael Espinoza / T: Tim McCanna), JERRY’S SPIRIT (J: Armando Aguilar / T: Tim Yakteen), HALO UNCLE (J: Welfin R. Orantes / T: Jeff Bonde), GOLDEN RIVER (J: William Antongeorgi III / T: Alberto Ruvalcaba), J. B. BOOKS (J: Geovanni Franco / T: Paul G. Aguirre), CHIEF WILD EAGLE (J: Kazushi Kimura / T: Tim McCanna), IDIOT’S GOLD (J: Tiago Josue Pereira / T: George L. Lopez), and COUSIN RICHIE (J: Cristobal Herrera / T: Sergio Ledezma).
The sixth race of the day is a one-mile claiming race for three-year-olds and older who have never won three races, with a claiming price of $20,000. The race offers a total purse of $23,000. FIREMAN DAN (J: Armando Ayuso / T: Jerry Wallace II), SUPERMAX (J: Assael Espinoza / T: John W. Sadler), TAMARANDO STAR (J: Armando Aguilar / T: Jeff Bonde), BE PUNCTUAL (J: Kent J. Desormeaux / T: Robert B. Hess, Jr.), DAMAZIO (J: Serafin Carmona / T: Jeff Mullins), MICI’S EXPRESS (J: Tiago Josue Pereira / T: Doug F. O’Neill), and ASMODEUS (J: William Antongeorgi III / T: Peter Miller) are the seven declared runners.
The seventh race is a 6½-furlong allowance for California-bred or California-sired three-year-old fillies who have never won $21,000 once other than maiden, claiming, or starter, or who have never won two races, or are entered for a claiming price of $50,000. The lucrative $61,000 purse has drawn a large field including WIND SPEED, TIGHT SQUEEZE, BOOSTER CLUB, KIKURIDE, ROSA PARKS, PRESS YOUR LUCK, GUILTYOFHAVINGFUN, LAVA LUCY, MUSICAL NUMBER, HOW ABOUT PAVEL, and CORALGABLESKAYLIN.
Race eight is a maiden claiming race over 6 furlongs for fillies and mares aged three, four, and five. The race carries a purse of $20,000. The list of runners includes LUCKY NEA, BEAUTY JENNY, COCONUT GIRL, PETITE ANGE, A. P’S LUCKY CHARM, DIXIE ALLURE, LADY DOSIA, BABE KELSO, SPIRITUAL THOUGHT, and MEMORYSINTHEPARK.
The ninth and final race of the day is a one-mile claiming event for fillies and mares three years old and older, offering a purse of $34,000. The lineup features BIG MAMA SUE, SUPER ELLIE, MADEIRA WINE, HIGHLANDS, PUTT FOR DOUGH, LADY MONCLAIRE, TIERGARTEN, VALKYRIAN, and EMPRESS ELLIE.
With strong fields and a variety of race types, Santa Anita Park promises an action-packed day of Thoroughbred racing on May 16, 2025.
