Calder: Sweet Repent out to turn tables

Sweet Repent has won 7 of her last 8 starts over the past two years. Her only setback during that period came in the 2010 Nancy’s Glitter, when she was upset at 1-5 by Trip for A.J.

Sweet Repent will try to erase the memory of the lone blemish on her record since the summer of 2009 when she takes on the defending champ in Saturday’s $75,000 Nancy’s Glitter, a 1 1/16-mile fixture at Calder that drew a very familiar field of six older fillies and mares.

Sweet Repent rose to the head of the local filly and mare handicap division after reeling off four straight victories to end her 2009 campaign including a game nose decision in the Grade 3 Stage Door Betty to cap off her 3-year-old season. She came right back five weeks later to register the richest and perhaps most impressive victory of her career, a 3 3/4-length decision in the 2010 Sunshine Millions Distaff.

Trainer David Braddy gave Sweet Repent some much deserved time off following the Sunshine Millions, bringing her back six months later only to fall to Trip for A.J. in the Nancy’s Glitter, fading to finish third more than six lengths behind the winner.

Sweet Repent again went to the sidelines following her shocking setback in the Nancy’s Glitter.

“She’s always had foot problems,” Braddy explained. “Nothing serious, always minor, but they’ve always bugged her.”

Sweet Repent launched yet another comeback this spring, winning an allowance race and the Emergency Nurse to kick off the 2011 season.

“I’d just like to keep her here and run her through the same series of races as we did at the end of her 3-year-old season leading right up to the Sunshine Millions again next winter,” said Braddy.

The versatile Trip for A.J. has won three of eight starts this year for trainer Milt Wolfson, although she proved no match for Sweet Repent when finishing third, beaten four lengths, in the Emergency Nurse. She bounced back from that setback just three weeks later to capture the Liberada overnight stakes, benefitting when the race was switched from the turf to a fast main track.

Diosa Indian will break from the rail and is expected to set the pace, in much the same manner as when she finished second, a length behind Trip for A.J., in the Emergency Nurse.

Tesoro de Oro, Joanie’s Catch, and Gorgeous Melody complete the field.