After being scratched as the morning-line favorite in the Jan. 26 Clocker's Corner Stakes when rain forced the race to the main track, Air Force Red will look toward the Feb. 1 Thunder Road Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.
His last time out, the Dec. 28 Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2T), Air Force Red stalked the leaders along the rail, but after the field made its way downhill, the ridgling was pinned in and unable to make a move. Saturday will mark his second attempt at the one-mile Thunder Road, which features nine 4-year-olds and up; Air Force Red finished third in 2023.
The son of Air Force Blue has a comfort level with the turf at Santa Anita having run 16 of his career 22 starts there with a record of 5-2-1. Overall, Air Force Red is 6-3-1 from 22 starts with earnings of $639,074.
There will be stiff competition from Seal Team, who will be breaking from the outermost post. The Perry and Ramona Bass homebred was third last time out in the San Gabriel Stakes (G2T). In that race, the son of War Front was game—taking the lead late—but didn't have enough juice to close it out.
The Richard Mandella trainee is 3-1-2 from eight starts.
Perhaps the most well-known name in the field is Cabo Spirit. Winner of the California Crown John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G2T) in September, the millionaire 6-year-old has not fared as well since then. His best finish was sixth in the San Gabriel.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 1, 2025, Race 8Entries: Thunder Road S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Cabo Spirit (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 124 George Papaprodromou 20/1 2 2Air Force Red (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 122 Leonard Powell 3/1 3 3Zio Jo (KY) Tiago Josue Pereira 120 Doug F. O'Neill 10/1 4 4Lammas (GB) Assael Espinoza 124 Manuel P. Badilla 12/1 5 5Astronomer (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 122 Simon Callaghan 6/1 6 6Wizard of Westwood (KY) Kyle Frey 122 Michael W. McCarthy 15/1 7 7El Potente (FL) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 Dan Blacker 7/2 8 8Packs a Wahlop (KY) Antonio Fresu 124 John W. Sadler 10/1 9 9Seal Team (GB) Umberto Rispoli 124 Richard E. Mandella 5/2
Will Rashmi Continue to Grow in Megahertz?
Two races earlier is the $100,000 Megahertz Stakes (G3T) for fillies and mares 4 years old and up.
Eyes should be on Rashmi, whose last start was her first graded effort, the American Oaks (G1T) at Santa Anita. She was dead last through the first six furlongs, was swung outside approaching the stretch and valiantly chased down most of the field to finish fourth.
Bred by George Strawbridge Jr. and owned by his Augustin Stables, the chestnut is by Oscar Performance . Trainer Jonathan Thomas had her in solid form in her rookie campaign.
The filly didn't race until July 2024 as a 3-year-old and started off with a third and a sixth. Thomas moved her to Woodbine for a pair of races of which she won the first and finished second in the other. Rashmi then won a pair of races at Del Mar—nine days apart—and easily outclassed the field in both.
Challenging her will be Liguria, winner of the 2022 Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T) who is returning to the track after a 15-month layoff; La Canada Stakes (G3) third Big Hug, who has finished in the top four in all 23 of her starts; and Mahina who lost the Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T) by a nose last time out.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 1, 2025, Race 6Entries: Megahertz S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Liguria (KY) Umberto Rispoli 124 Michael W. McCarthy 9/2 2 2Big Hug (AB) Mike E. Smith 122 Val Brinkerhoff 12/1 3 3Sareeha (IRE) Antonio Fresu 120 Mark Glatt 2/1 4 4Rashmi (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 120 Jonathan Thomas 5/2 5 5Omaha Girl (KY) Tyler Baze 122 George Papaprodromou 6/1 6 6Mahina (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 Patrick Gallagher 5/1 7 7Mucho Macho Girl (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Leonard Powell 12/1
