Delightful Kiss (Tr: Pete Anderson) – Hobeau Farm’s Delightful Kiss worked 6f in 1:12 over the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields on Sunday for trainer Pete Anderson. The 4yo gelding is scheduled to van to Santa Anita on Tuesday with a late morning arrival.
Jockey Calvin Borel, who rode Delightful Kiss to his last two victories, will be back aboard in the inaugural Marathon.
“I have to talk to (Team Valor president) Barry Irwin,” Pletcher said. “I know which way I’m leaning. His works here have been good and he seems to handle the surface.”
Richard Migliore will ride.
King of Rome (Tr: Aidan O'Brien) – King of Rome has been declared from the Marathon and will not make the trip from Europe.
Muhannak (Tr: Ralph Beckett) – Muhannak, the winner of his last two starts, spent the day in quarantine after arriving at Santa Anita early Monday on a flight from England.
Ralph Beckett trains the 4yo by Chester House, who won on the Polytrack courses at Dundalk and Kempton Park most recently. Pat Smullen, who was aboard last out on Sept. 26, retains the mount.
Sixties Icon (Tr: Jeremy Noseda) – The 5yo by Galileo will be making his synthetic track debut Saturday when he goes in the Marathon.
Jeremy Noseda trains Sixties Icon, who has won three straight stakes on grass coming into this event. Frankie Dettori, who was aboard in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes win last out, has the mount again.
Spring House (Tr: Julio C. Canani; ex. rider: ) – see Turf
Zappa (Tr: John W. Sadler; ex. rider: Ricardo Peniche) – Gary and Cecil Barber’s Zappa jogged 1m on the main track at Santa Anita under exercise rider Ricardo Peniche on Monday morning.
Trained by John Sadler, Zappa earned a berth in the Marathon with a victory in the Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar on July 30. Garrett Gomez was aboard that day for the front-running victory and he has the riding assignment on Saturday.
Zappa has been housed at Santa Anita since early September following the close of the Del Mar meet. In his last work for the Marathon, Zappa breezed 7f in 1:25 2/5 on Saturday.
