Heating Up Buetane, after a successful but abbreviated rookie campaign, returns from a four-month layoff to contest the $200,000 San Vicente (G2), Saturday at Santa Anita. The lightly raced Tiz the Law colt competed twice in his first professional season, reaching the winner’s circle in his debut on August 3 at Del Mar before delivering a runner-up effort in the Grade 1 Hopeful on September 1 at Saratoga. Come Saturday, Buetane will be spared from dealing with Ted Noffey, the reigning Hopeful victor and expected 2-year-old champion of 2025. A $1.15 million purchase by Zedan Racing at the 2025 OBS April Sale of 2-year-olds in training, Buetane enters the seven-furlong San Vicente as the 6-5 favourite. Wicked Ways Velvet Devil concluded an encouraging freshman season with a runner-up showing in her stakes debut – the Cheryl S. White Memorial – on November 25 at Mahoning Valley Race Course. On Saturday, the 4-year-old Michael Tomlinson trainee has a chance to track down stakes trophy number one in the $125,000 Likely Exchange at Turfway Park. Set to compete at the Florence, Kentucky oval for the first time, Velvet Devil has shown plenty of promise for owners Blackout Racing Stables and Patricia’s Hope LLC. In seven 2025 starts, the bay daughter of Kantharos–Tizlegal compiled a 3-3-0 line for north of $280,000 in prizes. Occupying post one in the one-mile Likely Exchange, Velvet Devil opens at 3-1. Back for Meaux Out to avenge a second-best result in last year’s Gary P. Palmisano Memorial Stakes, speedster Geaux Sugar returns to Fair Grounds this Saturday for another shot at the $100,000 dirt sprint. The accomplished Half Ours gelding will once again team with rider Mitchell Murrill, who guided Geaux Sugar within a head of the top finisher in 2025, Not On Herb. Geaux Sugar has performed admirably in seven starts since the narrow defeat, landing inside the top two six times while claiming a trio of stakes badges in the Costa Rising, King Creole, and most recently, the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint. Trained by Keith Bourgeois for owner Single Malt Stable, Geaux Sugar, and his 25: 13-4-2 ($528,275) lifetime record, enter the Palmisano as the 2-1 morning line choice. Home-Field Advantage The Santa Anita downhill turf course has been awfully kind to multiple graded stakes winner Queen Maxima, who has recorded four victories in five starts over the renowned surface. Following a Senator Ken Maddy Stakes triumph down the coast at Del Mar on October 31, Queen Maxima treks back to Santa Anita this Sunday for the $100,000 Las Cienegas (G3T). The 5-year-old Bucchero mare made the most of her last trip to the Arcadia, California oval, dominating the Monrovia (G3T) by 4 ¼-lengths to lock down her first graded trophy. Queen Maxima added a second graded badge next time out in the Unbridled Sidney (G3T) on May 2 at Churchill Downs. Up to 7-2-0 across 12 starts for owners Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures, Queen Maxima has earned over $570,000. Signature Moment Ontario-bred bay Thermal will step up to the graded stakes ranks for the first time this Sunday when she goes postward against six foes in the $100,000 Las Flores (G3) at Santa Anita. Originally planned for January 4, the six-furlong Las Flores was rescheduled due to inclement weather. With the race back on track, Thermal was able to do the same last time out, scoring at the claiming ranks on October 17 after finishing third in her stakes debut – the Zadracarta – at Woodbine, the start prior. Raring to go for trainer and co-owner John Sadler, Thermal sports a 2-0-4 record with $125,417 in prizes heading into the Las Flores. Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine Share This:Share
