Casalu tries sprinting against big field in Sweet Life; $53,273 pick six carryover

ARCADIA, Calif. – The stakes program for 3-year-old fillies on dirt is struggling this winter at Santa Anita, but there is no shortage of 3-year-old fillies on turf.

A week after just three fillies ran one mile on dirt in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes, a deep field of 10 is entered Sunday in the $100,000 Sweet Life on the hillside turf course. The favorite is conspicuous, though less imposing than odds-on Tenma was in the Las Virgenes.

Casalu opens as the 7-5 morning-line favorite in the Sweet Life. The question is whether Casalu can be as effective sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs as she was winning the Blue Norther Stakes last out at one mile. Bob Baffert trains Casalu and jockey Flavien Prat will be aboard for the first time. The 6 1/2-furlong dirt race is part of a pick six that begins in race 4 with a $53,273 carryover.

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A second question is how much improvement the filly Schilflied might produce shortening up. Paddy Gallagher trains stakes-placed Schilflied, who Casalu defeated twice recently in routes. Gallagher expects Schilflied to benefit from the shorter distance.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to go two turns,” Gallagher said. “We were hoping she would, but her best race was going short. That’s why we thought we’d try [the Sweet Life].”

It makes sense. Schilflied dominated a maiden turf sprint in autumn, then lost her punch in three successive routes. The distance cutback is beneficial, though Gallagher acknowledged the challenge of a 17-day turnaround after she finished third in an allowance turf mile.

“It’s coming back a little bit quick, but we thought we’d take a look at it, and see,” Gallagher said.

Hector Berrios rides Schilflied.

The knockout in the Sweet Life is comebacker As Catch Can, a stakes-placed two-turn specialist listed 15-1 on the morning line. Trainer Jonathan Thomas would prefer to run her long, but route options are scarce.

“We’re in this big void where if you have a filly that’s cleared the first allowance condition there’s nothing to run in. There are no open allowances, there are no [route] stakes,” Thomas said.

It’s three months between the Blue Norther on Dec. 28 and China Doll Stakes on March 23.

As Catch Can looked good working in company Feb. 2 with Grade 3 winner Will Then, going a half-mile in 47 seconds. “Both fillies worked great, they galloped out in 58 and four. I thought they breezed very well.”

Umberto Rispoli rides As Catch Can in the Sweet Life.

Thomas believes As Catch Can may handle the shorter distance, but Will Then is strictly a route filly. Will Then is the second-ranked turf filly in California, behind Grade 3 winner Thought Process, who recently returned to Phil D’Amato’s barn and is expected to make her comeback in spring.

Others in the Sweet Life include Tequilaandtherapy, a stakes-winning sprinter who finished a troubled third last out in the California Cup Oaks at one mile on turf. Acquitted shortens to her preferred sprint distance after she misfired in the Blue Norther.

The Sweet Life also includes Hey Lil Lady, late supplement How About Pavel, Practical Dream, Going Deep, and Ce La Vi Charlie. First post Sunday is 11 a.m. Pacific. The last race is scheduled for 3 p.m. Pacific. Super Bowl kickoff is 3:30 p.m.

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