Speed May Rule Santa Margarita Stakes
By: Nick Costa, Trackside with Trackman
The dynamics of the race lineup suffered a major hit recently when it was announced 2017 female sprinter Eclipse Champion, Unique Bella, was withdrawn from consideration due to a recent bout with a cough. In her most recent start last month, the 4-year old daughter of Tapit, owned by the Don Alberto stable and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, dominated the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes, scoring by nine-lengths. The gray daughter of Tapit is now being pointed for the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Stakes April 13th at Oaklawn Park.
Despite the absence of his star filly,
trainer Hollendorfer, a Hall of Fame inductee in 2011, still has representation
in the race, as he sends out Turkish Tabby and Eccentric Spinster. The two
stablemates have produced one dirt start in 17 races combined.
Since
the inaugural running in 1935, the Santa Margarita has attracted some of the greatest
champion mares in Thoroughbred racing who have used the race as a stepping
stone to award-winning campaigns. Winners of this race include Horse of the
Year winner’s Azeri and Zenyatta in addition to other champions such as Lady’s
Secret, Bayakoa, Paseana, Jewel Princess and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winners Life
is Sweet and Adoration.
Post time is slated for 4:00 p.m. local
time. Let’s take a look at entrants from the rail out.
PP – Horse - Jockey/Trainer
1
- La Force – Mike Smith/Patrick
Gallagher – German-bred filly spent the early part of her career racing in
Italy before being shipped Stateside in the fall of 2016 and has called
Southern California home ever since. Has more turf than dirt starts on her
resume, however, her three Santa Anita main track races were excellent,
including a third-place effort in the one-mile Grade 2 La Canada. Goes a bit
further here.
2
- Turkish Tabby – Rajiv Maragh/Jerry
Hollendorfer – Lightly raced five-year old with only nine starts, comes off
three consecutive runner-up finishes at Golden Gate, the last two being narrow
losses by a nose. She tries the dirt for the first time since her debut 18
months ago.
3
- Mended – Carlos Gonzalez/ John Martin
- An amazing 10-race winning streak by this mare was snapped in the Grade 2 La
Canada Stakes last out when she lost a heartbreaker by a head bob at the wire.
She displayed versatility during her streak, winning on synthetic, turf and
dirt. Last year at this time, one could have claimed her for 12.5k, but since
then, she has ascended nicely up the
ladder. She’s proved at least for now, that she deserves to be here.
4
- Dalsaros – Tyler Baze/Gaines – One
year ago, following a dismal debut, she broke her maiden in a one-mile romp,
winning by daylight. A setback caused her to be sidelined before returning in
December in a six-furlong sprint obviously designed as a tightener. Getting
back around two-turns is her forte as she won and finished second against allowance
foes in her two subsequent starts. This placement is a bit ambitious, but the
mare has good current form.
5
- Mistressofthenight – Kent
Desormeaux/Richard Baltas – Two of her three wins have been on the dirt here at
the ‘Great Race Place’, including a two-turn event just three weeks ago in
allowance company, so we know she likes this track. She makes her third start
off a layoff, and her trainer excels in that category with a high win rate.
However, this is a difficult spot.
6
- Majestic Heat – Corey
Nakatani/Richard Mandella – Much of her success has come on the turf. However,
she became a graded stakes winner for the first time winning the Grade 2
Bayakoa with an off-the-pace run in her second dirt start in December. Failed
to get the job done against state-bred runners last time out. The cut back to
six panels may have been too short for her liking, so I’ll give her a pass. She
may go better here stretching back out in her fourth start of the year.
7
- Bishop’s Pond – Victor Espinoza/Jason
Servis – Eastern invader returned to work in January after a six-week layoff to
claim her first stakes victory in an ungraded event at Laurel Park going eight
furlongs. She was in control of the race throughout, winning by five-and-a-half
lengths. In her only appearance at this level last fall in the Beldame Stakes,
she vied for the lead into the stretch, before tiring to finish fifth.
8
- Eccentric Spinster – Joel Rosario/Jerry
Hollendorfer – Ships down from Northern California to test the dirt after
competing exclusively over the synthetic surface at Golden Gate. Has won three
races from eight career starts, but nothing higher than allowance level. Only
out-of-the-money finish was a fifth-place showing in a minor stake.
9
- Mopotism – Mario Gutierrez/Doug
O’Neill – Had a busy sophomore season in 2017 competing with and holding her
own against some of the best females in the country. One case in point: She
ended her three-year old campaign third behind Unique Bella and Paradise Woods
going 7-furlongs in the Grade 1 La Brea here on opening day in December. She
won a thrilling edition of the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes by a head bob in
January to open her four-year old year. Last month, she was runner-up in the
Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes, but again was no match for Unique Bella.
10
- Fault – Franco Giovanni/Phil
D’Amato – Other than a couple of dirt starts early in her career, one of which
she broke her maiden in, this filly has been campaigned on the turf. Has
competed at seven different tracks winning a pair of graded stakes on the
grass. The most recent one came in her 2018 debut when she returned from nearly
a two-month layoff to rally from off the pace in the Grade 2 Buena Vista
Stakes.
Analysis: There is plenty of speed signed on
here with several need to lead types, therefore, I’m anticipating a hot pace. A
horse that can relax behind the leaders should benefit nicely from the race
flow.
As
mentioned above, Mopotism chased
quite a roster of star quality fillies several times last year and performed
quite admirably. This event is devoid of opponents of that stature making this appear
to be a bit of a class relief for the O’Neill runner. It’s Mopotism’s race to
lose. Look for her sit a good trip in mid-pack, then turn on the after burners
in the latter stages. She gets the call
for the win.
La Force was just beaten a neck by the top
choice two back in the Grade 2 La Canada, and her last race was a confidence
booster when beating allowance foes. She appears poised for a big effort and
should get a ground saving trip.
Mended is blazing fast, but other speedsters
in here will make sure she doesn’t get away. The mare will negate the chances
of those pressing her, but her early efforts may leave her vulnerable
navigating that extra furlong. She could stick around for a piece.
Fault has a win and a third in graded
competition at nine furlongs on the turf, so the Santa Margarita distance would
not appear to be an issue, but the surface switch is the major question.
Wager: With $100 ThoroFan dollars, we will
make a $40 win bet on Mopotism. Let’s take the remaining sixty-dollars and play
$20 straight exactas with Mopotism over the other three horses.
Good
luck, and as always, enjoy the race!
No comments:
Post a Comment