Appealing Cat sharp for Red Carpet

DEL MAR, Calif. – The opportunities for long-distance grass races for older females are rare most of the year, and even rarer in the fall, which is why trainer Graham Motion has sent not one but two runners here to Del Mar for the Grade 3, $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap on Saturday.

Appealing Cat, who comes off an excellent try at Keeneland, and Lady of Gold, second on synthetic at Woodbine last time out, are among 13 entered in the Red Carpet. With the rails set at 18 feet from their innermost position, a maximum of 11 can run in the 1 3/8-mile race. Macaabra and Soresca, assigned the lightest weight, were placed on the also-eligible list.

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Appealing Cat, who drew the rail for the three-turn race, was assigned top weight of 121 pounds, even though her lone stakes win was in a race restricted to Pennsylvania-breds in September. In her lone start since then, she was a close third in the listed Dowager at Keeneland while going 1 1/2 miles on turf.

“I was really pleased with her last race,” Motion said. “We were trying to find out if she’d handle the longer distance and do as well against open company. It was a big step, and she ran quite well.”

Lady of Gold, stuck in post 10, still is eligible to her second-level allowance condition. She was second in the Grade 3 Maple Leaf at Woodbine on Nov. 1.

The Red Carpet was known as the Beverly Hills Handicap when it was run at Hollywood Park.

KEY CONTENDERS

Appealing Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 93-81-87)

◗ With just four starts this year, she is lightly raced.

◗ She comes off one of the best performances of her career.

Lady of Gold (Last 3 Beyers: 84-82-87)

◗ She appears inferior to her uncoupled stablemate, having failed against lesser in races at Saratoga and Laurel.

◗ But she has never run this far and hinted in her last start that marathon distances may be her calling.

Scooter Bird (Last 3 Beyers: 86-86-75)

◗ A long-distance specialist, she powered past her rivals impressively when winning a money allowance at Santa Anita going 1 1/2 miles on turf last time out.

Lady Pimpernel

◗ An intriguing import, she comes off consecutive victories in handicap races in Great Britain against males.

Bee Brave (Last 3 Beyers 75-90-84)

◗ She usually needs a fast pace to set up her late run.

◗ She showed with her fifth-place finish in the Rodeo Drive two starts back that she can handle graded stakes company.

◗ She had severe traffic trouble last time out in the Kathryn Crosby here Nov. 7.

Winning Rhythm (Last 3 Beyers 86-86-78)

◗ She has yet to run this far, but comes into the race in the best form of her career, with consecutive wins over allowance foes.