After two graded stakes, Gate to Paradise back with maidens

ARCADIA, Calif. – A maiden race Friday at Santa Anita offers a fresh start for one of last season’s most highly regarded juvenile fillies, although Grade 1-placed dropper Gate to Paradise is hardly a standout in her first start at age 3.

A half-dozen maiden fillies entered race 6, a dirt mile that precedes a turf sprint for California-bred allowance fillies and mares. Last-out runner-up Song of Shadows faces Queen of Pompeii in the allowance; Gate to Paradise faces five rivals in the most interesting race on the card.

She’s a Tempest stretches out from two runner-up sprints and could vie for favoritism with Gate to Paradise. Scarlet Avenue is likely to improve following her debut prep. Halone, Ultimate Authority, and Discrepancy also entered.

John Shirreffs trains Gate to Paradise for owners Lee and Susan Searing; the filly’s juvenile campaign was promising.

“We put her in some tough spots and she ran very well,” Shirreffs said.

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Gate to Paradise, by Arrogate, always looked and trained like a route filly. But she was ready to run early, even if 5 1/2 furlongs was too short in July at Del Mar. She finished third, followed by a respectable third in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante. In her first route, she finished fifth of nine in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita.

“I think she probably was a little bit tired,” Shirreffs said, and he gave her a break. Her 3-year-old campaign will focus on routes.

“She’s got that long body, she’s got a big stride,” Shirreffs said. “It’s just about getting her strong enough where she can repeat that stride over a distance.”

Kazushi Kimura will ride Gate to Paradise. It is not a must-win situation.

“I’d like to see her win, obviously,” Shirreffs said. “But we’re just looking for a good race, and see where she is.”

She’s a Tempest, trained by Steve Knapp, ran well in both starts. Those include a last-out second by 3 3/4 lengths behind Kopion, who could be among the favorites Sunday in the Grade 3 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. She’s a Tempest, sired by Connect and produced by a Tiznow mare, will be ridden by Tiago Pereira. She is expected to produce speed from the inside post.

Scarlet Avenue was only prepping first out, finishing eighth, in a maiden turf sprint at Del Mar. Sired by Street Sense, Scarlet Avenue is trained by John Sadler.

“She didn’t show a lot going short, but we think she’s a two-turn horse,” Sadler said. “Her last work was her best work, she looked like she wants to run on.”

Joel Rosario rides Scarlet Avenue.

Song of Shadows is expected to start favored in the race-7 California-bred turf allowance. She missed by a head last out in a similar statebred turf sprint at Del Mar and has a forwardly placed style that suits the current Santa Anita profile. All six main-oval turf sprints opening week, at every rail setting, were won by horses positioned one-two.

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