Amuse must be patient in Kalookan Queen

Amuse dueled for the lead in the Grade 3 Sherwood Chillingworth Stakes in September before fading to finish third by a length. A more patient journey in Sunday’s $75,000 Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita could work in favor of the 6-year-old mare.

Amuse did not race in the final months of 2020 and will begin her 2021 season in the Kalookan Queen Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs.

There is a scenario that could greatly benefit Amuse. Qahira, unraced since a second in the Chillingworth at 6 1/2 furlongs, and Biddy Duke, the winner of the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes on turf in October, could easily set a quick pace.

Amuse, who will be ridden by Drayden Van Dyke for trainer Richard Mandella, will start from the rail, a post that is not ideal under these circumstances.

“That’s what we got,” Mandella said on Friday morning.

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If Van Dyke can coax Amuse to settle in the opening three furlongs, the partnership could be well placed behind Qahira and Biddy Duke on the turn.

“She can sit back a little,” Mandella said. “She’s training really good right now. She looks good and feels good.”

Amuse is winless in six starts since winning an allowance race at Santa Anita in December 2018. She had one start in 2019 and had five appearances last year, including a well-beaten second in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares at Del Mar last August.

Qahira had a three-race winning streak end in the Chillingworth when she finished three-quarters of a length behind Into Chocolate. Qahira won an allowance race at Los Alamitos and one at Del Mar in the summer of 2019 and an allowance race at Del Mar last August in her first start of 2020.

Qahira has not raced since the Chillingworth.

“She’s doing well,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “It’s a tough race and there is a lot of speed in there. The pace is the big factor with her. She likes to be up there.”

Biddy Duke, claimed for $40,000 by trainer Doug O’Neill and owner Joe Besecker in May, has run well in stakes on dirt, finishing third in the Angels Flight Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita in June and second by a nose in the California Governor’s Handicap at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton last July.

Last spring, Biddy Duke ran in 870-yard races against Quarter Horses at Los Alamitos when Santa Anita was briefly closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Kalookan Queen Stakes is designed as a prep race for the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes, a $200,000 race for fillies and mares at seven furlongs on Feb. 13.

The Kalookan Queen Stakes drew a field of six, including the stakes winners Dynasty of Her Own and Mo See Cal.

Sunday’s race is the stakes debut for Acting Out, the impressive winner of an allowance race for fillies and mares by five lengths at Los Alamitos on Dec. 11 – her third win in her last four starts.

Acting Out is quick enough to duel for the lead, but could be better placed as a stalker for jockey Abel Cedillo.