Callaghan fillies should take to turf
ARCADIA, Calif. – Trainer Simon Callaghan has always considered the 3-year-old fillies Desert Steel and Windy Forecast prospects for turf sprints, but with such opportunities rare for 2-year-olds, neither has run on grass. Both will race at 3 for the first time in an optional claimer on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Thursday.
Both Desert Steel and Windy Forecast were purchased for six-figure sums at sales of 2-year-olds in training in early 2014, and they have never faced each other. They are part of a competitive field of eight in the race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf.
KEY CONTENDERS
Windy Forecast (Last 3 Beyers: 76-79-49)
◗ Windy Forecast beat maidens in her third start, which came at 5 1/2 furlongs here last October, and was second as the 4-5 favorite in an optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar last November.
◗ Windy Forecast, by Stormy Atlantic, was purchased for $260,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. auction last April.
“Windy Forecast should like the turf,” Callaghan said. “Most Stormy Atlantics do. We’re hopeful for a good comeback race with her.”
◗ Windy Forecast, who has been favored in three of her four starts, will be fitted with blinkers for the first time. Callaghan said she will wear a one-cup blinker around her right eye, and that she has been wearing the blinkers in recent workouts after she drifted out in a workout last month.
“There was no physical issue, and we worked her with this blinker, and she worked fine,” he said.
Desert Steel (Last 3 Beyers: 73-43-40)
◗ After two poor performances on dirt last May, Desert Steel beat maidens by 5 1/4 lengths on the Polytrack synthetic surface at Del Mar last July, her most recent start.
◗ Desert Steel was purchased for $130,000 at the 2014 Barretts March sale.
“We were always looking forward to running her down the hill,” Callaghan said. “I think she’ll be ready. She’s done lots of work leading to this race.”
Avenge (Last 3 Beyers: 78-69-79)
◗ Trained by Richard Mandella, Avenge likely will be favored. She won a maiden race on the hillside turf course March 15 by 2 1/2 lengths.
◗ Avenge and Whisk, trained by Mike McCarthy, are the only runners in the field with a win on the course.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Avenge. Trainer Richard Mandella is 18-1-4-3 with a $1.44 ROI over the past five years when making a jockey change in the start following a maiden victory. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Sea Mona. Trainer John Sadler is 18-1-3-3 with a $1.79 ROI over the past two years in turf sprints at Santa Anita with Victor Espinoza aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan