(Modus Bestia / Benoit Photo & Courtesy of Santa Anita)

From the Santa Anita Media Team / Victor Ryan:

• PALOS VERDES: MODUS BESTIA, EASED IN GI MALIBU, RETURNS • NYSOS 2ND-BEST IN SAUDI CUP; IMAGINATION WINS ON UNDERCARD • WORKS: LITMUS TEST, START THE RIDE WORK FOR GII SAN FELIPE • $14K CARRYOVER IN SATURDAY’S $1 SUPER HIGH 5 IN LAST RACE

PALOS VERDES: MODUS BESTIA, EASED IN GI MALIBU, BACK FOR BALTAS __

After being eased in the GI Malibu Stakes on opening day, Modus Bestia gets a second crack at a stakes victory for trainer Richard Baltas Sunday in the Palos Verdes Stakes for older horses going six furlongs.

In the seven-furlong Malibu on Dec. 28, Modus Bestia broke from the rail and sprinted for the lead under Edwin Maldonado. He went the opening quarter mile in 21.87 seconds while being hounded on his outside by Madaket Road, who also returns in the Palos Verdes. Madaket Road then poked a head in front of Modus Bestia, completing a half mile in 44.30 seconds. At that point the race was over for Modus Bestia. He was eased by Maldonado and ultimately crossed the wire in a light gallop.

“Nothing was wrong with the horse. We were taking a shot and were probably in over our head,” Baltas said.

Madaket Road weakened late in the Malibu and checked in fourth behind winner Goal Oriented. He will be joined in the Palos Verdes by Bob Baffert-trained stablemate Pilot Commander. Since the Malibu, Modus Bestia has worked twice which includes a bullet five-furlong drill in 1:00.0 eight days ago. The 4-year-old colt by Maclean’s Music is 5-1 on the Palos Verdes morning line.

“This came up a tough race as well. But he’s ready to run and this was the spot,” Baltas said. Modus Bestia will have a new rider Sunday as Antonio Fresu jumps aboard for the first time. Prior to the Malibu, Modus Bestia broke his maiden going 6 ½ furlongs in September at Del Mar then came right back to win a first-level allowance going six furlongs, also at Del Mar.

The 8-5 favorite in the Palos Verdes is California-bred Man O Rose, who gets his first open stakes opportunity following four consecutive stakes wins versus statebreds. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Man O Rose—a 6-year-old gelding by Stanford—most recently aired by nine lengths when winning the Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint on Jan. 17 at Santa Anita. Man O Rose drew the rail and will have Emisael Jaramillo aboard for the first time.

First post Sunday for a nine-race card is 12:30 p.m. PT. The Palos Verdes goes as the eighth race at approximately 4:00 pm. The field in post position order: Man O Rose, Emisael Jaramillo (8-5); Pilot Commander, Florent Geroux (9-5); Modus Bestia, Antonio Fresu (5-1); Smooth Cruisein, Tiago Pereira (12-1); Listenupshance, Tyler Baze (15-1); Madaket Road, Kazushi Kimura (7-2).

NYSOS SECOND-BEST IN SAUDI CUP; IMAGINATION WINS ON UNDERCARD

In Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh, Santa Anita-based Nysos proved second-best to international superstar Forever Young, who made it back-to-back wins in the world’s richest horse race going about 1 1/8 miles.

Nysos and Japan-based Forever Young, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, were on near even terms on the lead at the top of the stretch. But in the late going, Forever Young edged away from Nysos to win by about a length. Joining Nysos in the Saudi Cup for trainer Bob Baffert was Nevada Beach. Winner of last year’s GI Goodwood at Santa Anita, Nevada Beach was never a factor and finished off the board.

Earlier on the card, Baffert scored in the $2 million, GII Riyadh Dirt Sprint with Imagination. The victory earned Imagination, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner, an automatic spot for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Keeneland as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series. Trainer Doug O’Neill sent two Santa Anita-based runners for the Saudi Cup program and both finished off the board. Acknowledgemeplz ran in the GIII Saudi Derby going one mile and Zio Jo tried the GII 135 Turf Sprint.

WORKS: LITMUS TEST, START THE RIDE DRILL FOR GII SAN FELIPE

Litmus Test and Start the Ride, both eyeing the GII San Felipe on March 7 for their next starts, were among several notables on Saturday’s work tab at Santa Anita.

Litmus Test, trained by Bob Baffert, worked four furlongs in 47.40 seconds. Eight days ago, the colt by Nyquist was scratched from the GIII Southwest at Oaklawn in favor of the San Felipe. Litmus Test previously won the GII Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 13.

Start the Ride, a California-bred trained by Dan Blacker, worked six furlongs in 1:13.80. By Upstart, Start the Ride most recently won the California Chrome Cal Cup Derby going 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 17.

Also working for Baffert was 3-year-old debut winner French Blue and Cornucopian. French Blue, by Gun Runner, worked five furlongs in 1:00.40. French Blue won his debut going six furlongs by 2 ½ lengths while being ridden out to the wire.

Cornucopian worked for the first time since a scintillating comeback win on Jan. 31 following a nine-month layoff. He drilled four furlongs in 48.40 seconds. Cornucopian’s return came in a 6 ½-furlong allowance. He overcame trouble to win by three lengths and earned a lofty 97 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Working for trainer Aggie Ordonez was Vodka Vodka, who is a candidate to run in the GI Santa Anita Handicap on March 7. The 6-year-old California-bred gelding by Stay Thirsty worked six furlongs in 1:13.80. Vodka Vodka most recently won the Unusual Heat Turf Classic on Jan. 17 at Santa Anita.

FINISH LINES: Saturday’s $1 Super High 5 has a $14,557 carryover. It is offered on the ninth and final race. Post time is 4:37 p.m. PT…Saturday’s $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5 starts at 1:19 p.m. with the ninth race from Gulfstream Park. Saturday’s $1 Sunset Pick 6 starts at 1:50 p.m. with the 10th race from Gulfstream. Friday’s $1 Sunset Pick 6 had a single winning ticket that paid $69,618…Trainer Marcia Stortz and jockey Cristobal Herrera teamed for their first wins at the Classic Meet Friday with Outrageous, who scored in the fifth race and paid $7.60…Santa Anita track announcer Frank Mirahmadi will be host Tom Quigley’s handicapping guest Sunday on the Santa Anita simulcast feed starting at 11:20 a.m.