DEL MAR, Calif. – The first filly to win a 2-year-old maiden race in Southern California this season could also win the circuit’s first 2-year-old stakes race on Sunday at Del Mar. Broadway Venus, a sharp maiden winner May 3 at Santa Anita, returns in the $100,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes. The CTBA, for California-bred or California-sired fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, also includes high-figure Thirsty in Vegas and stablemate In the Air Tonight. Although last year’s CTBA was won by odds-on Pushiness, the race historically ranks as one of the least predictable of the Del Mar summer meet. Favorites have only won 2 of the last 10, and only 5 of the last 24. Thirsty in Vegas, whose five-length maiden win in her second start earned a field-high 69 Beyer Speed Figure, is a potential favorite Sunday. Ryan Hanson trains Broadway Venus for owner-breeder Richard Barton, who kept the Dads Caps filly when she did not meet a $22,000 reserve at a California yearling sale. Broadway Venus matured early and fired big in the first juvenile filly race of spring at Santa Anita. She popped out of the gate and wired the field under Adrian Escobedo. :: Get Del Mar Clocker Reports straight from the morning workouts at the track. Available every race day. “Right after the race we sent her to [Barton Thoroughbreds in Central California] and turned her out for a month,” Hanson said. “We gave her a month up there, and since she’s come back, she’s been a student with perfect attendance.” Broadway Venus worked fast before her debut, and trained forwardly for her Sunday comeback. “She’s a really small filly, but she just loves her job,” Hanson said. “She loves to go out and gallop. She’s been a really smart, forward filly and we’re seeing all the same things from her.” Of course, winning in May at 4 1/2 furlongs does not always lead to a win in August at this distance. “We’ll see if she can get five and a half [furlongs]. You’re always concerned when you break your maiden at four and a half. That’s why we got the six-furlong work into her [July 8 at Santa Anita], and she’s come back and worked well two times over the [Del Mar] track. The maiden win by Broadway Venus was flattered when the runner-up won her next start. Escobedo rides Broadway Venus again in the CTBA. Steve Knapp trains leading CTBA contenders Thirsty in Vegas and In the Air Tonight. Thirsty in Vegas finished a better-than-looked fourth in her debut, then added blinkers second out and crushed by five lengths under Antonio Fresu, who rides her again Sunday. The maiden win by Thirsty in Vegas was flattered when the runner-up won her next start. In the Air Tonight won her debut in late May; runner-up Thirsty Mama returned to win her next start and also entered in the CTBA. Others in the field include Nostri Vires, Coralgableskaylin, Lil’ Bit Bossy, and Knightwithlouis. Terry Lovingier bred five of the eight CTBA entrants including Thirsty in Vegas and In the Air Tonight. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.