NOTES FROM THE GREAT RACE PLACE

CALIFORNIA-BRED PEPPY BOLLY UPSET WINNER OF SANTA ANITA ALLOWANCE, BAZE, GARY MANDELLA TEAM FOR HALF LENGTH WIN AT SIX FURLONGS


California-bred Peppy Bolly, an 8-1 longshot ridden by Tyler Baze, pressed the pace and prevailed by a half length to win Santa Anita’s fourth race Friday, a $58,000 first condition allowance for older fillies and mares at six furlongs. The complexion of the race changed dramatically passing the three eighths pole, as 3-5 favorite Cougarontheprowl, who was a half length clear of Peppy Bolly, broke down and was pulled up immediately by Mike Smith.

PURIM’S DANCER BACK TO DEFEND TITLE IN SUNDAY’S $75,000 WISHING WELL STAKES FOR FILLIES & MARES DOWN HILLSIDE TURF
PROCTOR TRAINEE HEADS FIELD IN RACE NAMED FOR DAM OF LEGENDARY SUNDAY SILENCE


A close third in the Grade II Monrovia Stakes Jan. 5, trainer Tom Proctor’s Purim’s Dancer will be back to defend her title in Sunday’s $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes for older fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course.


VENERABLE JERANIMO HEADS CAST OF 14 IN SATURDAY’S GRADE II SAN MARCOS STAKES AT 1 ¼ MILES ON TURF, 8-YEAR-OLD PENDER TRAINEE SEEKS 12TH WIN IN 40TH CAREER START


A galloping winner of the Grade II, 1 1/8 miles turf San Gabriel Stakes Jan. 4, 8-year-old Jeranimo heads a field of 14 older horses in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 San Marcos Stakes at 1 ¼ miles on turf.

TWO TIME BIG ’CAP WINNER GAME ON DUDE SET TO TAKE ON SPEEDY BLUESKIESNRAINBOWS IN SATURDAY’S GRADE II SAN ANTONIO STAKES
BAFFERT & HOLLENDORFER RENEW RIVALRY AT 1 1/8 MILES IN IMPORTANT BIG ’CAP PREP


Considered one of the top older horses in the world, two-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Game On Dude heads a field of seven in Saturday’s Grade II, $300,000 San Antonio Stakes, to be run at 1 1/8 miles. Trained by Bob Baffert, Game On Dude’s primary rival would appear to be Jerry Hollendorfer’s front-running Blueskiesnrainbows, who comes off a pair of impressive graded stakes scores.