Palos Verdes Stakes 2016 at Santa Anita Park

Dave Bond | OTB Writer

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes will be contested this Sunday, February 7 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Horses four years old and upward will dash six furlongs on Santa Anita's dirt track looking for the winner's portion of the $200,000 purse.

A field of six will give it a go in the Palos Verdes - race 6 on Santa Anita's Super Bowl Sunday card. Post time is 3:00 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all six entries for this Grade 2 stakes.

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2016 Palos Verdes Stakes Race Preview

Salutos Amigos - has won five of his last 10 starts (all stakes) for David Jacobson - the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth June 28, the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap in March, the Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes last February, the minor Gravesend Stakes in December, 2014 and the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap November 27 of that year. He enters off an OK second as favorite in the Grade 3 Midnight Lute Stakes here January 2 which followed consecutive fifths - the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Stakes at Aqueduct in November and the Breeders' Cup Sprint in October. He also had a decent runner-up finish in the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes September 26. Salutos Amigos has placed in just two of his last six starts but still looks like the one to catch Sunday. He looks for his first win since June when he departs from gate 2 with Rafael Bejarano aboard.

Kobe's Back - Peter Eurton trained colt enters off a seventh in the Breeders' Cup Sprint October 31 which followed a decent second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship October 3, a fourth in the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar August 22, an OK third in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes in July and a disappointing sixth in the Grade 1 Met Mile June 6 at Belmont Park. He had a good win in the Grade 3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 4 and also won the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita in February, 2014 - by far his best results to date. Kobe's Back has three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 16 career starts but has placed in just two of his last five overall. Gary Stevens gets the call from the rail Sunday as Kobe's Back attempts to rediscover the form he had last spring.

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Pulling G's - John Shirreffs trained gelding has placed in eight of 12 career starts - four wins, three seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a third in the Grade 3 Midnight Lute Stakes here January 2 after a fourth in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap November 26 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park in October. Pulling G's looks for his first stakes win Sunday and enters in so-so form. Victor Espinoza has been tabbed to ride from gate 4.

Rocket Heat - has placed in 10 of 13 career starts for trainer Vann Belvoir and has hit the board in six of his last seven overall (three wins over that span). He looks for his first stakes win Sunday off a respectable second in the minor Clocker's Corner Stakes here January 24, a good third in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes on this track December 26 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar in November. Rocket Heat has been in every race the last seven months and could be a factor Sunday. Edwin Maldonado will be in the reins from post 5.

Mystery Train - arrived from Argentina and finished ninth in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic August 24, 2014 struggled in his next two starts as well. The good news is that he did have a respectable second after leading most of the way in the 1 1/16 mile Grade 3 Mineshaft Handicap at Fair Grounds February 21, 2015 and he did post a win in the minor Evangeline Mile June 6. Since the win Mystery Train hasn't been great - a DNF after being eased in the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes July 1 was followed by a fifth last time out in the minor Big Bear Stakes here October 24. Mystery Train has placed in just one of his last four starts overall and hopes to change things around Sunday from post 3. Tyler Baze gets the call.

Cautious Giant - Kristin Mulhall trained gelding makes his stakes debut Sunday having posted four wins and four third place finishes in 16 career starts. He enters on a two race win streak - both Allowance Optional Claiming scores in this track - the last coming January 1. Before that were three straight off-the-board finishes however. Cautious Giant looks for his third straight win in his giant step up in competition when he leaves from the outside gate 6 with Santiago Gonzalez in the irons.


2016 Palos Verdes Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 6 on Santa Anita's Sunday card with a Post Time of 6:00 PM.

Entry Horse Jockey Trainer
1 Kobe's Back Gary Stevens Peter Eurton
2 Salutos Amigos Rafael Bejarano David Jacobson
3 Mystery Train (ARG) Tyler Baze Darrell Vienna
4 Pulling G's Victor Espinoza John Shirreffs
5 Rocket Heat Edwin Maldonado Vann Belvoir
6 Cautious Giant Santiago Gonzalez Kristin Mulhall

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