It was a wild finish to the Grade 3, $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds Sunday at Santa Anita.

Artislas (4-1), the lone stakes winner in the field with Reylu Gutiérrez up, got his head down on the wire to prevail in a three-way photo over favorite Iron Man Cal (6-5) and Sabertooth (4-1). But a late bump from Artislas, which nearly caused Antonio Fresu on Iron Man Cal to be dismounted, led to him being disqualified and Iron Man Cal being awarded the win.

Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.

“I thought the bump I received cost me a lot,” Fresu said. “He is a lightly raced horse, only had two races. He got scared and kind of stopped. You could tell by my body language I was knocked off balance. I think it cost me.”

Artislas, winner of the Del Mar Juvenile Turf in his previous start for trainer Jeff Mullins, crossed the wire a head in front in the one-mile turf race. He was demoted to third place behind the winner and Sabretooth. Final time of the race was 1:34.45 following fractions of 22.73, 46.59, 1:10.66 and 1:22.47.

Iron Man Cal is trained by Phil D’Amato for owners Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables.

“I’m definitely proud of my horse. He was bounced around there,” D’Amato said. “Antonio almost got knocked out of the saddle. But the horse hung in there tough.”

The promotion of Iron Man Cal to the win capped a huge weekend for D’Amato.  Four races earlier, favorite Thought Process scored for D’Amato in the Surfer Girl (G3) for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on turf. On Saturday at Santa Anita, D’Amato won both the Rodeo Drive (G2) with Hang the Moon and the Chillingworth (G3) with One Magic Philly.

“It was a great weekend,” D’Amato said. “It is just a credit to a having great horses and great staff. We hope we can keep it rolling.”

Notably, Iron Man Cal and Thought Process were sired by Collected and bred by the late Brereton C. Jones, former governor of Kentucky.

As for Iron Man Cal, next up is likely a start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Iron Man Cal paid $4.60, $2.60 and $2.20. Sabertooth, ridden by Kazushi Kimura for trainer Tim Yakteen, returned $3.80 and $2.60. Artislas paid $2.60.

Iron Man Cal finished fourth in debut sprinting five furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 2. He was then stretched out to a mile on grass and won going away by 2 1/4 lengths Sept. 7 at Del Mar. His first stakes win ups his record to 3: 2-0-1 with $109,500 in earnings.

Thought Process sets pace in Surfer Girl win

Thought Process went to the lead under Héctor Berrios and never
was challenged on her way to a comfortable, front-running win in the $100,000 Surfer Girl (G3) for 2-year-old fillies.

Taking command early was a new dimension for Thought
Process, who came from slightly off the pace in her previous two wins,
including last month’s Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. The new tactic wasn’t by
design. Berrios and trainer Phil D’Amato each expected Casalu, the 9-1 third
choice with Kazushi Kimura up, to go to the front early.

“I thought (Casalu) would go to the lead. Then I saw Kimura
grab the filly, so I said let’s go,” Berrios said. “She went really
comfortably.”

Thought Process established early fractions of 23.17, 47.69
and 1:11.43 for six furlongs before crossing the wire under a hand ride to win
by 4 1/2 lengths. The final time for one mile on firm turf was 1:34.34.

Casalu, trained by Bob Baffert, finished second by a
half-length over Tigerish (16-1) in third.

“The plan was we thought Bob’s horse was going to the lead again, so we were
going to sit second,” D’Amato said. “I don’t think he was intent on having his
filly go to the lead today. Hector smartly just took the lead and went the
shortest way around.

Thought Process will target the $1 million Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

“I was just very impressed with her,” D’Amato said. “It
looks like there’s more in the tank. I’m sure when we go to the Breeders’ Cup,
she will definitely need more in the tank.”

Sired by Collected, Thought Process graduated in her second start Aug. 17 at
Del Mar when being switched to turf and stretched out to a mile. Next up was
the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, also at a mile, which she won handily by two
lengths under Berrios.

Thought Process was bred in Kentucky by Brereton Jones. She is owned by Madaket
Stables, Little Red Feather Racing and the Jones estate. She is 4: 3-0-1 with
$174,000 in earnings.

Thought Process paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. Casalu returned $4.40 and $2.60.
Tigerish, ridden by Juan Hernández for trainer Richard Baltas, paid $3.00.

Jack’s Magic Girl, trained by O.J. Jauregui, was eased at the five-sixteenths pole and pulled up by jockey Umberto Rispoli. Equibase reported she was taken off the track via equine ambulance.