Anthonys Cleopatra moves to dirt, faces older in She's a Tiger Stakes
In her first four starts, Anthonys Cleopatra went from the speedy winner of a maiden race at six furlongs in January to a patient filly who rallied from fourth to win her stakes debut in the California Oaks at Golden Gate Fields in late April.
Nearly two months later, Anthonys Cleopatra will have her first start against older fillies and mares in Saturday’s $75,000 She’s a Tiger Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at the Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton.
The She’s a Tiger Stakes drew a field of 10 and will be Anthonys Cleopatra’s first start on dirt after racing on the synthetic track at Golden Gate Fields.
“She’s taken to the dirt as well as any horse in the barn,” trainer Tim McCanna said Thursday. “Some of them move up, and some are just synthetic horses.”
McCanna, who trains Anthonys Cleopatra for Cacchiotti Ranch, was encouraged when the filly worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 at Pleasanton last Saturday, the quickest of 28 works at the distance. In the California Oaks, Anthonys Cleopatra trailed by four lengths on the backstretch, a different style than her first few races in sprints.
“We were pleasantly surprised that she laid off of it and rated,” McCanna said. “Before, she was go-go.”
Anthonys Cleopatra will be ridden by Frank Alvarado, who has been aboard the filly in her four starts. Anthonys Cleopatra drew post 7 and is the lone 2022 stakes winner in the field. Buyback and Northwest Factor were second and third in the Golden Poppy Stakes on turf April 30 at Golden Gate Fields.
The She’s a Tiger Stakes is the stakes debut for La Reine’s Legacy, who has won three of her last four starts at Golden Gate Fields since mid-February for trainer Blaine Wright. La Reine’s Legacy is one of several runners in the She’s a Tiger field who tend to run near the front.
A quick pace will help Reiwa, who had a troubled trip in an allowance race on turf May 28 at Golden Gate Fields. Reiwa raced in traffic in the stretch and finished fifth, by 1 3/4 lengths. She was promoted to third after two rivals were disqualified for causing interference.
Assignation was third in the same field, later promoted to second. Assignation drew the rail in the She’s a Tiger Stakes and is another threat from off the pace.