Sire power will be on display in the Jan. 31 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. Two sons of Curlin will vie in the 1 1/8-mile event against sons of Gun Runner , Authentic , Midnight Lute, and Mendelssohn.
Getaway Car sports not only Curlin in his pedigree, he hails from the Bob Baffert barn and has the most earnings of the six-horse field with $616,300. The 4-year-old has won stakes in each of his two previous seasons, capturing the Best Pal Stakes (G3) in 2024 and Sunland Park Derby in 2025. Juan Hernandez has ridden Getaway Car in all of his starts except the colt's two most recent and is back aboard.
Midnight Mammoth, a 7-year-old son of Midnight Lute trained by Craig Dollase, is the only returnee from the 2025 San Pasqual, when he led early but finished unplaced. He won the 2024 Cougar II Stakes (G3) and is coming off a 7-furlong allowance optional claimer win Jan. 16.
Westwood, a 4-year-old son of Authentic trained by John Shirreffs, and Bartholdy, a 5-year-old son of Mendelssohn trained by Steve Knapp, have both placed in graded stakes. In three stakes attempts last year, Westwood finished third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), fourth in the Affirmed Stakes, and third in the Native Diver Stakes (G3). Bartholdy has attempted only two stakes, with thirds last year in the Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) and Dec. 28 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes (G2).
Pony Express, a 5-year-old son of Gun Runner trained by John Sadler, had also been entered in the Jan. 30 Fifth Season Stakes at Oaklawn Park. But the Jan. 29, 30, and 31 Oaklawn cards were canceled due to a forecast of freezing temperatures. Pony Express is coming off a second in the Oct. 25 Tokyo City Cup Stakes.
Ghazaaly is the other son of Curlin in the San Pasqual. Claimed by trainer Doug O'Neill last August for $40,000, he a $25,000 claiming race Jan. 19. The entire San Pasqual field sold at auction as yearlings or 2-year-olds, and Ghazaaly was the most expensive. Now 8, he brought $1.05 million at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 31, 2026, Race 4Entries: San Pasqual S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Midnight Mammoth (KY) Armando Ayuso 120 Craig Dollase 9/2 2 2Ghazaaly (KY) Emisael Jaramillo 120 Doug F. O'Neill 10/1 3 3Getaway Car (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 120 Bob Baffert 2/1 4 4Bartholdy (KY) Tyler Baze 120 Steve R. Knapp 4/1 5 5Pony Express (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 John W. Sadler 9/5 6 6Westwood (KY) Kazushi Kimura 120 John A. Shirreffs 8/1
Megahertz Stakes
Fillies and mares will vie at a mile on the turf as part of the same Jan. 31 Santa Anita card in the Megahertz Stakes (G3T). Four newly turned 4-year-olds, including Will Then, will face their elders.
Will Then, conditioned by Jonathan Thomas, recently finished third in the Dec. 28 American Oaks (G1T). Prior to that she led through much of the Nov. 23 Red Carpet Stakes (G3T) against older before running fifth. She won the 2024 Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T) and 2025 China Doll Stakes.
Five-year-old Public Assembly, trained by Phil D'Amato, finished second in the Red Carpet and then fifth in the Jan. 8 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T). She won the 2025 Royal Heroine Stakes (G3T).
Thomas and D'Amato each have a second entry, both relative newcomers to their barns. Going Lucky, 3-for-4 lifetime, is making her stakes debut and just her second start for Thomas. Sigh No More, a Monmouth Park stakes winner, will make her first start for D'Amato.
Violeta M has the back class, being a multiple group winner in her native Argentina. The field also includes stakes winner Vibez, graded stakes-placed Princesa Moche, My Perfect Wave, and Baltic Fire.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 31, 2026, Race 7Entries: Megahertz S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1My Perfect Wave (KY) Emisael Jaramillo 120 Tim Yakteen 6/1 2 2Public Assembly (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 124 Philip D'Amato 5/2 3 3Princesa Moche (PER) Mirco Demuro 120 Doug F. O'Neill 5/1 4 4Will Then (KY) Mike E. Smith 124 Jonathan Thomas 4/1 5 5Going Lucky (KY) Ricardo Gonzalez 120 Jonathan Thomas 6/1 6 6Violeta M (ARG) Victor Espinoza 124 Marcelo Polanco 30/1 7 7Vibez (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 122 Peter Eurton 9/2 8 8Sigh No More (IRE) Kazushi Kimura 124 Philip D'Amato 10/1 9 9Baltic Fire (KY) Cesar Belmont 120 Simon Callaghan 30/1
