Monba Schooling for Todd Pletcher

Trainer Todd Pletcher schooled Monba, winner of the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland in 2008, at Santa Anita on Friday morning. Monba runs in Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap. Edgar Prado has the mount for owners Starlight Stable, Lucarelli & Saylor.

Cowboy Cal Schooling for the Santa Anita Handicap

Cowboy Cal schooled Friday morning for trainer Todd Pletcher at Santa Anita in preparation for Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Handicap. Cowboy Cal, winner of the Grade 2 Strub Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7, was schooling with stablemate Monba. Monba and Cowbay Cal were first and second in the Grade 1 Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland last April.

John Velazquez, who has the mount on Cowboy Cal in the Big 'Cap, will stay over for a special ceremony on Sunday, when he will receive the coveted George Woolf Award.

Bittel Road Schools at Santa Anita

Bittel Road, fourth in the CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park on Dec. 20, schooled in the paddock at Santa Anita Thursday morning for trainer Todd Pletcher. Bittel Road is a probable starter for the $200,000 Robert Lewis Stakes on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita. For 3-year-olds at 1-1/16 miles, the stakes race is expected to attract a strong field, including CashCall Futurity winner, Pioneer of the Nile.

Peppermint Lounge Seeks First Stakes Win in Playa del Rey Stakes

Peppermint Lounge seeks her fourth consecutive victory and first stakes win in the $65,000 Playa del Rey Stakes on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, at Hollywood Park. Peppermint Lounge is trained by Carla Gaines for Warren B. Williamson and gets the services of leading rider, Rafael Bejarano, in the 6-furlong event for filles and mares 3 and up.

Bsharpsonata, trained by Todd Pletcher, is making her first start since finishing 8th in the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico in May. She won two Grade 2 stakes at Gulfstream earlier in the year, the Davona Dale and Forward Gal.

The 2nd Running of The Playa del Rey Stakes
$65,000 Added
FOR FILLIES AND MARES, THREE-YEAR-OLDS AND UPWARD

1 BSHARPSONATA       05 F 124 Gomez, G     Pletcher, Todd
2 HIGHLAND TORREE    05 F 118 Garcia, M    DeLeon, Rafael
3 PEPPERMINT LOUNGE  04 F 120 Bejarano, R  Gaines, Carla
4 COCO BELLE         04 F 122 Rosario, J   Sadler, John
5 LOVELY ISLE        05 F 118 Espinoza, V  Frankel, Robert
6 TIZZY'S TUNE       03 M 120 Solis, A     Baffert, Bob
7 FOXY DANSEUR       05 F 122 Smith, M     Paasch, Christopher