october 21 - juvenile fillies turf
April Pride (Tr: James Cassidy) - Trainer Jim Cassidy was eagerly awaiting the Santa Anita arrival of the English-bred filly April Pride, who spent Monday in quarantine at Hollywood Park after arriving from England on Sunday. Cassidy bought the filly sight unseen two months ago on behalf of James Peyton's Forging Oaks Farm. "I saw video of her races," Cassidy said. "And she looked like the real deal. Now I'm waiting to see her in the flesh." Cassidy expected the filly to arrive Tuesday morning. He said jockey David Flores will gallop April Pride on Wednesday and Thursday to get to know her before riding her Friday. April Pride had a maiden win and three seconds in stakes while racing for trainer Richard Hannon.
Beyond Our Reach (Tr: Tom Stack) - The Irish-bred filly Beyond Our Reach spent Monday in quarantine after arriving early Monday morning from England. Tommy Stack, the former steeplechase rider, trains Beyond Our Reach, who is still a maiden after three starts. The daughter of Danehill Dancer will have a new rider for the Breeders' Cup, with Kent Desormeaux picking up the mount. Fozzy Stack, the trainer's son, will do the saddling honors Friday.
Consequence (Tr: Shug McGaughey) - The Shug McGaughey-trained filly Consequence took it easy at Santa Anita Monday morning after tuning up for a start in the $1 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Filly Turf with a bullet 4f workout in 46 Sunday. Consequence, who scored by three lengths in her debut at Saratoga, finished fourth in her only other start while experiencing a wide trip in the Miss Grillo Stakes. "She was fourth but only got beat by a half-length," assistant trainer Buzz Tenney said. "It was soft that day. They moved it from Sunday to Wednesday because of all the rain we had, but it was still soft that day. I don't think it was her favorite surface, so I really expect her to run a good race on Friday."
Emmy Darling (Tr: John Sadler) - Ike and Dawn Thrash's Emmy Darling, who will be making her grass debut in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, galloped 1 1/8m on the main track Monday at Santa Anita with exercise rider Enrique Alfarez up. Trained by John Sadler, Emmy Darling had her final turf tuneup last Friday, working 5f in 59 4/5 at Santa Anita. Rafael Bejarano, a two-time Breeders' Cup winner, will have the mount Friday on Emmy Darling. Emmy Darling has been housed at Santa Anita since the end of the Del Mar meet in early September.
Heart Shaped (Tr: Aidan O'Brien) - The Storm Cat filly was scheduled to arrive Monday afternoon with the Aidan O'Brien-trained contingent. Heart Shaped broke her maiden at the Curragh in May, but is winless in three subsequent starts. Johnny Murtagh, who was aboard for the maiden win, will ride.
Internallyflawless (Tr: Bob Baffert; ex. rider: Sarah Cillie ) - Charles Fipke's Internallyflawless stood in the starting gate and then galloped on the main track Monday morning at Santa Anita under exercise rider Sarah Cillie. The daughter of Giant's Causeway broke her maiden on the turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 28 and stands on the preference list for the Juvenile Fillies Turf that will have a field of 12. "I need a couple of defections," trainer Bob Baffert said. "If she does not get in, she would run next at Hollywood Park. I haven't even considered a rider yet, but I don't think I would have any problem finding one. All the best jockeys in the country are here."
Renda (Tr: Juan Arias) - Richard Rowan's 2yo filly arrived at Santa Anita early Sunday morning from Calder Race Course in Miami, Fla. The dual stakes winner last worked at her home base on Oct. 13, going 5f in 1:02. She went to the track at Santa Anita on Monday morning and galloped with trainer and former jockey Juan Arias aboard. Renda was a bargain $11,000 yearling purchase by Rowan. "I've owned horses for 26 years and have never raced in a million dollar race before," Rowan said. Rowan is a Brazil aficionado and gives many of his horses Portuguese names. Renda - pronounced "henda" - means wealth.
Saucey Evening (Tr: Graham Motion) - With the dogs placed well off the inner rail, Saucey Evening demonstrated a fondness for the Santa Anita turf course Monday morning during a 3f workout in 36 2/5. "She felt great. I was really happy with her,'' said Alice Clapham, trainer Graham Motion's assistant, who was aboard for the workout. "She's so great for a 2-year-old. She's always been a real good professional filly." Saucey Evening, who broke her maiden on grass at Colonial Downs in June, has run on synthetic courses in her three subsequent starts, including a dominating triumph in the California Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. "She's a More Than Ready, and more and more the More Than Readys are showing they like grass," Chapham said. "She really felt great out there." Garrett Gomez will have the return mount aboard Saucey Evening.
Sugar Mom (Tr: Wayne Catalano) - A $30,000 maiden claimer just a few short months ago, Sugar Mom has thrived since arriving in the Wayne Catalano stable. "(Bloodstock agent) Tim Kegel called me on this horse," said Steve Leving, for the Frank Calabrese operation Steve Leving said. "He's a friend who has standards. This is the third stakes winner we've acquired through him." Winless from three sprint starts at Churchill, Sugar Mom arrived in the Catalano barn in early July following a private purchase. "Her mother Plenty of Sugar was a grade III winner on turf and she was second in the Coaching Club American Oaks," Leving said. "She has a half-brother that was grade I placed over fences. She needed to do something other that what she had been doing. Based on her pedigree, I thought she had to improve in two turn races on Polytrack or turf."