STABLE NOTES BY VICTOR RYAN THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024

• FORBIDDEN KINGDOM KICKS OFF SEASON IN SATURDAY’S KONA GOLD • JUSTIFY, ROSARIO, HIRSCH ELECTED TO RACING HALL OF FAME • COMPETITIVE 9-RACE CARD AWAITS HORSEPLAYERS FRIDAY • FRESU WINS 3 SUNDAY, TOPS JOCKEY’S STANDINGS AFTER 1 WEEK

FORBIDDEN KINGDOM KICKS OFF SEASON IN SATURDAY’S KONA GOLD It’s later in the year than trainer Richard Mandella had hoped, but Forbidden Kingdom finally kicks off his 5-year-old campaign Saturday in the $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on dirt.

Forbidden Kingdom was last seen Dec. 30 winning the GII Joe Hernandez at six furlongs on Santa Anita’s flat turf course. It was the third graded stakes tally of his career and first on grass.

After the Hernandez, Mandella eyed a potential stakes engagement at Oaklawn Park for Forbidden Kingdom. It never came to pass.

“He had some little things pop up. He has a history of that,” Mandella explained of the longer-than-expected layoff.

The Joe Hernandez win ended what was just a three-race campaign in 2023 for the son of American Pharoah. In the first half of the season, Forbidden Kingdom was second in the GIII San Carlos in March and fourth in the GII Triple Bend in May, both at Santa Anita.

In the Kona Gold, Forbidden Kingdom will break from the rail under Juan Hernandez. Among his rivals is top sprinter The Chosen Vron, who was a late supplemental entry by trainer and co-owner Eric Kruljac. The Chosen Vron has banked $1,299,678 and seeks his 16th stakes victory in the Kona Gold.

“He makes it tough,” Mandella said of The Chosen Vron’s presence. “But my horse is doing really well and we’re expecting a good race. Hopefully he’s ‘The Chosen Vron’ on Saturday.”

Forbidden Kingdom enters with a record of 4-3-2 in 12 starts with $679,500 in earnings for owners My Racehorse and Spendthrift Farm. His two other graded wins, both on dirt, came as a 3-year-old in 2022 in the GII San Vicente and GII San Felipe, both at Santa Anita.

The Kona Gold goes as the fourth race on an 11-race card Saturday. Post time is approximately 2:30 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Forbidden Kingdom, Juan Hernandez (5-2); Prince Abu Dhabi, Kyle Frey (12-1); See Through It, Edwin Maldonado (15-1); The Chosen Vron, Hector Berrios (4-5); Happy Jack, Frankie Dettori (8-1); Zeus’ War, Umberto Rispoli (12-1); Express Train, Mike Smith (6-1).

JUSTIFY, ROSARIO, HIRSCH ELECTED TO RACING HALL OF FAME Triple Crown winner Justify, jockey Joel Rosario and longtime owner and racing executive Clement L. Hirsch were among a nine-member class elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

In his Triple Crown season of 2018, Justify made his first three starts at Santa Anita before sweeping the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. He remains just the 13th Triple Crown winner in U.S. racing history. Justify was trained by Bob Baffert for owners China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing and WinStar Farm.

Like Justify, Rosario was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. A 39-year-old native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Rosario had 3,606 career wins and earnings of $318,450,155 entering Thursday. He began riding in the U.S. in 2006 at Golden Gate and won his first of three Santa Anita riding titles during the 2010-11 season.

Rosario won the Kentucky Derby in 2013 with Orb and added a pair of wins in the Belmont Stakes in 2014 with Tonalist and 2019 with Sir Winston. Also, his 15 Breeders’ Cup wins are tied with fellow Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey for fourth-most all time.

In 2021, Rosario won the Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding jockey.

“I’m feeling amazing and very grateful,” Rosario said this week. “I was very surprised as young as I am to be in the Hall of Fame. I never thought I would make it there. This is very, very special.”

Hirsch, a native of St. Louis born in 1914, was selected for enshrinement by the Hall of Fame’s Pillars of the Turf Committee. After serving in the Marine Corps during World War II, Hirsch purchased his first racehorse in 1947. He would be active as an owner for more than 50 years.

Hirsch is perhaps best known as a co-founder and president of the Oak Tree Racing Association, which starting in 1969 annually hosted a fall meet Santa Anita. Hirsch served as Oak Tree’s president until his death in 2000.

As an owner, Hirsch was well-known for his success with South American imports. Figonero won the 1969 Hollywood Gold Cup and also set a world record for 1 1/8 miles when winning the Del Mar Handicap.

Hirsch also won Del Mar’s Chula Vista Handicap in 1993 with Magical Tap. In 2000, the Chula Vista was renamed the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes.

This year’s Hall of Fame class also includes Gun Runner, the 2017 Horse of the Year and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner. Earning entry via the pre-1900 Historic Review Committee were Thoroughbreds Aristides and Lecomte, jockey Abe Hawkins and Harry F. Guggenheim. Also, acclaimed turf writer Joe Hirsch was chosen for induction by the Pillars of the Turf Committee.

The 2024 Hall of Fame class will be enshrined Aug. 2 at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Saratoga Springs.

COMPETITIVE 9-RACE CARD AWAITS HORSEPLAYERS FRIDAY A fine nine-race program kicks off the race week Friday at Santa Anita. The competitive slate, which averages 8.6 starters per race before scratches, includes an intriguing 5 ½-furlong maiden heat on dirt with several notable prospects.

Set to go as the sixth race at approximately 3:30 p.m. PT, the maiden race is for 3-year-olds and up and attracted a field of 11. Among the contenders are a pair of 3-year-olds set to debut for Bob Baffert, Middleburg and Parenting.

Middleburg, by Tapit out of multiple graded stakes winner Selcourt, was purchased for $485,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale. He has worked seven times for his unveiling, including a bullet four-furlong move from the gate in 47.0 seconds April 8. He will break from the rail under Frankie Dettori.

Parenting, a $750,000 auction buy last year for owner Gandharvi LLC, is by Justify out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Iadorakid. On Saturday, Parenting worked a bullet five furlongs in 59.0 seconds. Installed as the 5-2 second choice on the morning line, he will have Juan Hernandez aboard for his debut.

Also set to debut for trainer John Shirreffs is Fausto, a 3-year-old Mastery colt. Last Thursday, Fausto signaled his readiness with a five-furlong work in 59.80 seconds, which was the fourth fastest of 28 moves at the distance. He will have Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard for his debut.

Trainer Doug O’Neill also has two first-time starters, Corso’s Pick and Factory Drive. Corso’s Pick is a Florida-bred colt by Creative Cause for owner-breeder Donald R. Dizney, LLC. He will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado. Factory Drive, a 3-year-old Cloud Computing colt, is a homebred for R. Chris Larsen. He will have Tyler Baze aboard.

Also looking to break their maidens in their third tries are 3-year-old colt Santarena, the 9-5 morning line favorite for trainer Mark Glatt, and the 4-year-old colt Prospect, a $1.7 million auction buy as a yearling.

Santarena, by Omaha Beach, finished second by 1 ¼ lengths to highly regarded stablemate Ball Don’t Lie when making his second start going six furlongs here April 6. The effort earned a field-high 93 Beyer Speed Figure. Santarena will be ridden by Antonio Fresu for the second time.

Prosper is trained by John Sadler. The City of Light colt was fourth when debuting at six furlongs on dirt here Jan. 21, then returned at six furlongs on turf March 9 and checked in third. Prosper will have blinkers on for the first time Friday.

First post Friday is at 1 p.m. The field for the sixth race in post position order: Middleburg, Frankie Dettori (10-1); Factory Drive, Tyler Baze (15-1); Corso’s Pick, Edwin Maldonado (12-1); Legitify, Tiago Pereira (6-1); Fausto, Mike Smith (15-1); Parenting, Juan Hernandez (5-2); Prosper, Umberto Rispoli (6-1); Fame, Kent Desormeaux (20-1); Fight With Honor, Geovanni Franco (20-1); Santarena, Antonio Fresu (9-5); Broadway Unions, Jose Valdivia Jr. (12-1).

FINISH LINES: Last year’s GI Del Mar Futurity winner, Prince of Monaco, worked for the third time this month Thursday when going four furlongs in 50.0 seconds for trainer Bob Baffert. The Speightstown colt has been off since a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Nov. 4 at Santa Anita…Jockey Antonio Fresu won three races Sunday and leads the jockey’s standings after the first week of the Hollywood Meet. Fresu scored in the opener with first-time starter Jane Austen ($12.20) for trainer Mark Glatt, the fifth with Tambo ($6.40) for trainer Peter Eurton and the seventh with Gavea ($16.80) for trainer Juan Landeros . Fresu won a total of five races last week, which was one more than runner-up Kyle Frey…There was just one winning favorite on Sunday’s 10-race card, Carol’s Comic ($2.80), who took the third for trainer Val Brinkerhoff…Sunday’s $1 Pick 6 returned $10,013.20 for 11 winning tickets.