SAN CARLOS STAKES SATURDAY

HOLLENDORFER & BAFFERT SQUARE OFF AS KANTHAKA & AX MAN HEAD SATURDAY’S GRADE II, $200,000 SAN CARLOS STAKES AT SEVEN FURLONGS   

HOLLENDORFER & BAFFERT SQUARE OFF AS KANTHAKA & AX MAN HEAD SATURDAY’S GRADE II, $200,000 SAN CARLOS STAKES AT SEVEN FURLONGS  

FIRST POST TIME AT 1 P.M. FOR 10-RACE CARD THAT INCLUDES FOUR GRADED STAKES 

 ARCADIA, Calif. (March 27, 2019)–Jerry Hollendorfer’s Kanthaka and Bob Baffert’s Ax Man head-up a field of five older horses going seven furlongs in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita.

A romping 3 ¼ length winner of the Grade II San Vicente Stakes here 13 months ago, Kanthaka was considered a Derby hopeful and would go on to win the Grade III, seven furlong Lazaro Barrera Stakes on May 12, after which he went to the sidelines prior to resurfacing with an eighth-place finish in the Grade I Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26.  Most recently second to two-time Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Roy H in the Grade II Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs Jan. 19, Kanthaka will hope to improve with a recent race under his belt.

Brilliant on occasion, Hal and Patti Earnhardt’s homebred Ax Man comes off a sizzling seven furlong allowance score here Feb. 8 and he’ll be seeking his first graded stakes score in the San Carlos.

KANTHAKA

Owner:  West Point Thoroughbreds
Trainer:  Jerry Hollendorfer

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Jimmy Creed, Kanthaka posted a career-best 101 Beyer Speed figure in finishing second in the Palos Verdes and could well be sitting on a big effort Saturday.  With regular rider Flavien Prat in Dubai, Rafael Bejarano, who was aboard for his maiden win seven starts back on Dec. 26, 2017, will take over on Saturday.

AX MAN

Owner:  Hal & Patti Earnhardt III
Trainer:  Bob Baffert

A winner of four out of his eight starts, seven of which he’s been favored in, Ax Man has been brilliant on occasion but has also left some of his critics feeling that he may be a horse who needs to have things his way in order to perform at the top level.  With Drayden Van Dyke back at the controls, Ax Man, a 4-year-old gelding by Misremembered, out of the Flying Chevron mare Shameful, will likely blast away from the San Carlos blocks in an attempt to shake loose around the far turn.

THE GRADE II SAN CARLOS STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER 

Race 6 of 10  Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Kanthaka–Rafael Bejarano–123
Ax Man–Drayden Van Dyke–121
Touching Rainbows–Tiago Pereira–121
St. Joe Bay–Victor Espinoza–121
Zatter–Geovanni Franco–121
Dr. Dorr–Tyler Baze–123
Solid Wager–Martin Pedroza–125
First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.