Calzada Kid brings new attitude

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - A disqualification from first to second earlier this year at Santa Anita may have been a blessing in disguise for Calzada Kid. After she was taken down for causing interference in the stretch of a $40,000 maiden claimer on March 1, Calzada Kid's attitude toward racing changed, according to trainer Aimee Dollase.

The change was so profound that Dollase decided to try Calzada Kid in a maiden special weight for her return. She won that race and followed with a third in the $200,000 Melair Stakes for California-breds on April 28.

On Wednesday, Calzada Kid will try to win for the second time in a $51,000 allowance race/optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies over 1 1/16 miles on turf at Hollywood Park.

"I hated to get disqualified but her confidence went way up," Dollase said. "Now she's like: 'I know what I'm out here for.' If she had broken her maiden for $40,000, we would have gone in a starter allowance. She surprised me when she won the maiden race as well as she did."

There are 10 3-year-old fillies in Wednesday's seventh race and several can win. Theresa's Year, unbeaten in two sprints, will go favored in her turf debut. She is trained by Rafael Becerra and is likely to set the pace.

Davis Eyes, Happy Michelle, La Chapelle, and Linda Eder have good turf form. La Chapelle won a maiden race on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in her debut on April 14, closing from seventh in midstretch to score by a length.

Davis Eyes was second in an allowance race on April 25. The form of that race was flattered when Arabic Song returned to win on Saturday.

Linda Eder won a maiden race here on May 4 in her eighth career start.

Happy Michelle is making her 3-year-old debut. Last fall, she was second in the Black Swan Stakes at Fairplex Park and Hidden Light Stakes on turf at Santa Anita. She should be close to the pace, but is unlikely to challenge Theresa's Year for the lead.

Dollase, who works primarily as an assistant trainer to her father, Wally, is hoping a speed duel develops, which would help Calzada Kid. The same scenario occurred when Calzada Kid won a maiden race over a mile on turf at Santa Anita on April 5.

"I'm hoping to be sitting in the garden spot," Dollase said. "You want to be five or six lengths off of it, you don't want to be 10 out of it."

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