Photo:

Alex Evers / Eclipse Sportswire

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert leads the way has five
nominees including Grade 1 winners Muth, National Treasure and Newgate for the inaugural
$1 million California Crown (G1) on Sept. 28 at Santa Anita.

Stakes winner Reincarnate, most recently third in the Pacific
Classic (G1) at Del Mar on Aug. 31, and Ultra Power, a lightly raced 3-year-old
who exits an allowance win on the same card, also were listed by Baffert.

Flashback: Muth makes comeback, wins Shared Belief.

Twenty-three of the top dirt horses from across the country
were nominated to compete in the California Crown. Formerly the Awesome Again
Stakes worth $300,000, the race will be contested at 1 1/8 miles and is an automatic qualifier
for the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

The day’s program features five stakes races that have
attracted 146 nominations. The $750,000 Eddie D (G2), the $750,000 John Henry
Turf Championship (G2), the $200,000 City of Hope Mile (G2) and the $100,000
Unzip Me also will be on the card. The City of Hope Mile is an automatic
qualifier for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Fields for the entire Sept. 28 card will be drawn Monday.

Six horses exiting the Pacific Classic led by winner Mixto
for trainer Doug O’Neill were nominated to the California Crown. So were
runner-up Full Serrano for John Sadler and fourth-place finisher Dr. Venkman
for Mark Glatt. Antonio Sano-trained Il Miracolo and O’Neill’s Katonah,
both of whom were well-beaten in the Grade I standard, also were nominated.

Subsanador is Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella’s lone
nominee. The South America import Subsanador most recently got his first North
America stakes win in the Philip H. Iselin (G3) at Monmouth Park going 1 1/16
miles on Aug. 17.

Stronghold, this year’s Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner, was
nominated by trainer Phil D’Amato, although he is entered to go Saturday at
Parx in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1). Stronghold most recently was
second in the Indiana Derby (G3) on July 6 at Indiana Grand. That followed a
seventh-place effort in the Kentucky Derby.

Señor Buscador, winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) in
February, was nominated by trainer Todd Fincher. He exits a fourth-place effort
sprinting seven furlongs in the Pat O’Brien (G2) at Del Mar. That came after a
nearly five-month layoff.

Arrowthegreat, Big Blue Line, E J Won the Cup, Indispensable, None Above the Law, Prince Abu Dhabi, Skippylongstocking, Strong Quality, There Goes Harvard and Two Rivers Over also were nominated for the California Crown.

California Crown day races will be accented by performances
from recording artists Shaboozey, Lil Yachty, Gryffin, Frank Walker and Zack
Bia.