Antonio Fresu is taking a liking to Santa Anita

SANTA ANITA LEADERS

(Through Thursday)

JOCKEYS / WINS

Juan Hernandez / 8

Antonio Fresu / 6

Edwin Maldonado / 6

Umberto Rispoli / 6

Flavien Prat / 4

TRAINERS / WINS

Mark Glatt / 6

Bob Baffert / 4

Richard Mandella / 3

Seven tied / 2

WEEKEND STAKES AT SANTA ANITA

Saturday

• $200,000 Grade II San Vicente Stakes, 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs

Sunday

• $100,000 Grade III Santa Ynez Stakes, 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs

DOWN THE STRETCH

• Veteran trainer Eddie Truman has decided to hang ’em up at age 76. The Sierra Madre resident was an assistant to the late Bobby Frankel in 1972 before breaking out on his own. Truman’s career dates to his teenage years when he was an apprentice jockey at Sportsman’s Park in Chicago and led all riders in 1963. He retires with 763 victories and $15.7 million in earnings. “We (he and wife Elizabeth) have an 8-month-old granddaughter from my daughter, so we’re just living the dream now,” Truman told Santa Anita publicity. “We’re spending more time with them and just traveling and doing the things we like to do.”

• Three-year-olds are in the spotlight this weekend at Santa Anita as the road to the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Oaks begins. Both races will be run on April 6. The San Vicente drew a field of six, including 4-5 morning-line favorite Muth. The son of Good Magic, trained by Bob Baffert, will be making his first start since a runner-up effort behind Fierceness in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Nov. 3. Baffert is also sending out Pilot Commander, a Justify colt who won his debut by 2¼ lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 11. The Richard Mandella-trained Kopion, a 3¾-length winner in her debut at Del Mar on Nov. 26, figures to be a heavy favorite in the Santa Ynez, which drew a field of five.

• Italian jockey Antonio Fresu is off to a quick start through the first five days of Santa Anita’s Classic Meet. The 32-year-old, who began riding at Santa Anita in April, is in a three-way tie with Edwin Maldonado and Umberto Rispoli for second in the rider standings with six victories. “Obviously, I’m very pleased with how things are going,” Fresu told Victor Ryan of Santa Anita publicity. “I haven’t been here long. Every time you change places, you start from zero again and it takes a while to get to know all the different people.” Fresu leads all jockeys with four stakes victories this meet. “My agent (Tom Knust) has done a good job,” Fresu said. “Now we’re getting better horses with better chances.”

— Art Wilson