The historic $300,000, Grade 1 Malibu Stakes, a staple of year-end racing in North America, drew a subject of 10 for its 2025 renewal and is rescheduled to be run on Sunday, Dec. 28 at Santa Anita Park. This storied race has featured previous winners reminiscent of Mizzen Mast, Twirling Sweet, Shared Perception, Flightline, and plenty of different standouts. 5 of the listed 10 starters are skilled by Bob Baffert.
Right here’s a have a look at the sector from ranging from the within (rail) publish place. Modus Bestia drew the rail for coach Richard Baltas and enters in prime type after successful his final two begins over Del Mar’s dust observe. Spenard ships in from Turf Paradise and could have veteran rider Tyler Baze within the saddle. The Spun to Run colt will probably be making his Santa Anita debut in addition to his first begin the Malibu’s distance of seven furlongs. Madaket Highway will make his seventh consecutive graded stakes look for Bob Baffert with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for the primary time since he guided the colt to a runner up end within the Pat Day Mile Stakes Introduced by SAP on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs. Speedy Wilson isn’t any stranger to the winner’s circle, posting 4 victories from eight profession begins and a document of 3-for-3 at seven furlongs, and common rider Armando Ayuso retains the mount. Midland Cash gained his profession debut by six lengths at Santa Anita in June 2024, resurfaced greater than a 12 months later at Saratoga to win first off the lengthy layoff, and enters off two consecutive runner-up finishes on the allowance elective claiming degree. Berlin Wall is available in off a 7 ¾-length victory final trip at Del Mar and has completed within the prime three in all 4 of his profession begins at Santa Anita. Coach Karen Headley sends out Easy Cruisein for his sixth profession graded stakes begin, with common rider Kyle Frey aboard. Cornucopian, probably the most calmly raced contender within the Malibu subject, will probably be making his first begin since April 27 for Baffert. The $1.1 million yearling buy will probably be ridden by Flavien Prat for the primary time. Barnes, a $3.2 million yearling buy named after Bob Baffert’s longtime assistant Jimmy Barnes, will probably be making his first begin since dominating the Perryville Stakes by 8 ¼ lengths at Keeneland in October. Aim Oriented rounds out the sector and Baffert’s quintet. He will probably be making his return to Santa Anita for the primary time since successful his profession debut by 3 ¼ lengths, which additionally marked his most up-to-date begin at a dash distance.
Evaluation and Primary Contenders:
Based mostly on his rout within the Perryville Stakes, there’s little doubt concerning the capacity of Barnes, notably on the Malibu’s seven-furlong distance. Expectations have been excessive for this Into Mischief colt from the get-go. Barnes debuted in November 2024 at Churchill Downs with a slim maiden particular weight victory earlier than delivery again to Santa Anita, the place he drew off to win the San Vicente Stakes by 5 ½ lengths, protecting seven furlongs on the dust in 1:22.15 in January of this 12 months. Following that spectacular efficiency, Barnes has made 5 consecutive graded stakes appearances. He made his route debut within the San Felipe Stakes in March, setting the tempo earlier than being caught late by eventual Preakness Stakes winner and Kentucky Derby Introduced by Woodford Reserve and Belmont Stakes Introduced by NYRA Bets runner-up Journalism. He then stretched out to 1 1/8 miles for the primary time within the Santa Anita Derby and completed a disappointing fifth, once more behind Journalism. After a short freshening, Barnes resurfaced 3 ½ months later again at his most popular seven-furlong distance within the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes at Saratoga in August, the place he completed a recreation third by simply 1 ½ lengths behind Patch Adams and Captain Cook dinner. Then in September, he broke final within the Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx Racing and, regardless of a late rally, completed fourth by 3 ¾ lengths whereas slicing again to 6 furlongs. Final trip, Barnes returned to seven furlongs within the Perryville and put all of it collectively, incomes a 105 Equibase Velocity Determine for his authoritative victory. Jose Ortiz was aboard for each the H. Allen Jerkens and the Perryville, a notable optimistic given his obvious affinity with the colt. Since that effort, Barnes has skilled sharply, highlighted by a bullet six furlongs in 1:12.80 in his most up-to-date exercise at Santa Anita on Dec. 20. He checks a number of packing containers right here: he returns to Santa Anita the place he gained the San Vicente, and he’s again at seven furlongs the place he has a document of 2-0-1 in three begins. Based mostly on his 3-1 morning-line odds, Barnes presents worth regardless of the eye he’s prone to entice.
Midland Cash brings loads of intrigue into the Malibu having posted two wins and two seconds in 5 begins, and can add blinkers after racing with out them in his final two begins for Bob Baffert. Midland Cash made his profession debut in a mud dash maiden particular weight race throughout June 2024 at Santa Anita and was a lot the perfect, drawing off to win by six lengths. Following that spectacular debut, he was sidelined for greater than a 12 months earlier than resurfacing in August of this 12 months, the place he returned in sharp type with a 3 ¼ size allowance victory at Saratoga, incomes a 103 Equibase Velocity Determine off the lengthy break. Simply 20 days later, Midland Cash made his graded stakes debut within the aforementioned H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes and completed sixth. Since then, he has posted two runner-up finishes on the allowance elective claiming degree at Del Mar and Santa Anita, incomes a 107 Equibase determine in every begin. Regardless of not having the ability to discover the winner’s circle final trip, Midland Cash rallied from final and completed robust, closing floor with each stride however arising simply quick within the 6 ½-furlong race. Including a half-furlong Saturday within the Malibu, mixed with the return to blinkers, could possibly be precisely what this Shancelot colt wants. Midland Cash additionally ranks first in late tempo score with a lofty 126.0, whereas main the sector in common pace with a 103 Equibase determine and common class of a 106. Jockey Juan Hernandez has teamed up with Midland Cash for one win (his debut) and two seconds. With tactical versatility and robust ending capacity, he’s greater than able to delivering a shock efficiency on Sunday.
Cornucopian will probably be making simply his fourth profession begin to shut out his 3-year-old marketing campaign for coach Bob Baffert and can surprisingly make his Santa Anita debut within the Malibu. He earned a career-best 108 Equibase Velocity Determine when dominating a six-furlong maiden particular weight at Oaklawn Park in his profession debut again in February. One month later, Cornucopian stretched out to 1 1/8 miles for the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn, the place he was caught in a taxing pace duel and light to complete fourth. Following the Arkansas Derby, Cornucopian was despatched to Aqueduct and reduce to 1 mile in an allowance elective claiming race the place he pressed the tempo, drained, however nonetheless held second because the odds-on favourite. Cornucopian returns within the Malibu off an eight-month layoff and has been coaching sharply at Santa Anita main into this begin. Bob Baffert has been efficient in graded stakes races with horses getting back from layoffs of greater than 180 days, successful at a 25% clip over the previous three years with a powerful 69% in-the-money from 16 begins. Flavien Prat picks up the mount for the primary time, a major optimistic on condition that Prat and Baffert have teamed as much as win 42% of their races collectively over the previous 12 months, combining for 11 wins from 26 begins and 81% top-three finishes. One other notable angle is that he’ll have blinkers eliminated Saturday, for the primary time in his profession. Baffert has excelled with this transfer in graded stakes races, successful at 37% over the past three years totaling seven wins from 19 begins and 63% top-three finishes. Whereas successful the Malibu off the layoff presents a stiff problem, Cornucopian seems effectively positioned to point out his capacity and make his presence felt on Sunday.
The remainder of the sector, with their finest Equibase Velocity Figures in comparable races, is Modus Bestia (109), Spenard (98), Madaket Highway (109), Speedy Wilson (105), Berlin Wall (103), Easy Cruisein (104), and Aim Oriented (110).
Win Contenders in Desire Order:
Barnes
Midland Cash
Cornucopian
