George Papaprodromou

8th-SA, $65K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 6:29 p.m. ET. TAHINI (American Pharoah) debuts Friday afternoon for Kretz Racing. Initially sold for $200,000 at Keeneland September, the filly went for $475,000 at the OBS March Sale after a 10 flat breeze during the under tack show. The George Papaprodromou trainee is out of SP More Fun Again (Arch), whose own graded stakes winning dam Silver Reunion (Harlan's Holiday) produced GII Lake Placid S. heroine Speaktomeofsummer (Summer Front). Also making her first start is Ms Bo J (Mitole), who was purchased for...

Quarter cracks have plagued Spirit of Makena (h, 5, Ghostzapper--Win for M'lou, by Gilded Time) this spring, but they're only a memory after the speedy chestnut captured Saturday's GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita. It was his second consecutive graded score following a win in the GIII San Carlos S. in March. MGSW and two-time Breeders' Cup runner-up C Z Rocket (City Zip) and multiple statebred SW Desmond Doss (Grazen) followed him home. MGSW and one-time Derby horse Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) set the :22.86 early pace while Spirit...

A graded stakes trio, led by the GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita, will kick off Memorial Day weekend on Saturday afternoon. The lightly raced 5-year-old Bruce Chandler homebred Spirit of Makena (Ghostzapper) looks for his third straight victory for trainer George Papaprodromou following a 1 1/2-length score over the re-opposing Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) in the GIII San Carlos S. last time Mar. 11. Spirit of Makena is the 8-5 morning-line favorite. The field of seven also includes last year's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint runner-up and popular 9-year-old...

For owner/breeder Bruce Chandler, patience was a virtue rewarded when his eye-catching Spirit of Makena captured the GIII San Carlos S. in just his four career start. A head shy from perfection in his spaced-out career, Spirit of Makena debuted late in his 4-year-old season; not seen until an Aug. 5 maiden special at Del Mar last season. He was hounded every step of the way on his step up to allowance optional company Sept. 11 in his first trip at the mile and just couldn't hold off Holden the...

Nine juveniles are expected to line up for the GIII Best Pal S.--the lone U.S. graded event on the docket Sunday-- at Del Mar and a full third of them are by freshman sire Bolt d'Oro. Kaleem Shah's Arman (Bolt d'Oro), $600,000 OBS March acquisition, was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his smashing five-furlong debut at Churchill Downs June 23 and is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the six-furlong affair. Muir Hut Stables' Agency (Bolt d'Oro), a $400,000 OBS March graduate, also broke his maiden on debut, going five...

American Theorem (American Pharoah), a narrow last out winner of the GII Triple Bend S. at Santa Anita May 29, punched his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint with an upset victory in the 'Win and You're In' GI Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar. Away at 7-1 while looking to provide trainer George Papaprodromou with a first Grade I victory, the runner-up in the 2019 GI American Pharoah S. kept the early leaders within his scope from his outside draw in sixth. He ranged up while five-wide rounding...