Class to spare in deep Santa Monica Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Storylines converge Saturday at Santa Anita, where an exceptional field of fillies and mares races seven furlongs in an appealing edition of the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes.

In a deep lineup, a happy ending will not occur simply by chance. Six of the seven entrants are graded winners, including several with similar subplots.

Redemption? Resurrection? Paradise Woods and Dream Tree seek the same thing. Both Grade 1 winners went off form, and form decline also hampered Grade 2 winner Selcourt, California’s top female sprinter last spring.

“That was then, this is now,” trainer John Sadler stated candidly.

Want a fairy tale? Escape Clause has it covered. A $3,792 yearling purchase in Canada, she has won 19 races and $423,500, and romped last month in a Grade 3 at Santa Anita. The clock still has not struck midnight for the Turf Paradise-based veteran, owned and trained by Don Schnell.

Marley’s Freedom could play the respect card. After all, she is only one bad trip from an Eclipse Award as 2018 champion female sprinter. The honor went to Shamrock Rose, who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in which wide-trip Marley’s Freedom finished fourth.

Many share the opinion Marley’s Freedom was the country’s best female sprinter last year when she won four graded stakes, including a Grade 1. Saturday at Santa Anita, she is the 2-1 program favorite in the $200,000 Santa Monica, though trainer Bob Baffert already is looking toward next month.

“I want to run her here, then we’re thinking about stretching her out for the Beholder,” Baffert said, referring to the Grade 1, $400,000 Beholder Mile here on March 16.

Santa Monica outsiders include Mopotism and Amuse, the only entrant without a graded victory. Her recent allowance win was better than it looks. Amuse won despite a tough trip, and got lucky at the Santa Monica draw. Amuse drew the outside post, though trainer Richard Mandella acknowledged the race is “pretty deep water.” Amuse is not a confirmed runner.

Paradise Woods is confirmed. Mandella trained her to two Grade 1 wins in 2017, but Saturday she will make her first start for trainer John Shirreffs. He knew what he was getting when she joined his stable late last year with the Santa Monica as her first objective.

“She already established her level and her class,” Shirreffs said. “Now you just have to figure out what makes her happy so she can repeat it. She’s basically a two-turn horse, so running fresh, seven-eighths of a mile should be okay. Should be.”

Paradise Woods has worked exceptionally well for her return, though she took a hit at the post draw. Paradise Woods is stuck on the rail, with speedster Selcourt directly to her outside.

It’s a tough spot for a comeback, and if Paradise Woods and Selcourt duel, the race could set up for off-the-pace rallies by Marley’s Freedom and Escape Clause.

KEY CONTENDERS

Marley’s Freedom, by Blame

Last 3 Beyers: 102-91-100

◗ The most likely winner and most accomplished in the field, Marley’s Freedom has won 7 of 14 including four graded stakes.

◗ She followed her Breeders’ Cup fourth with a highly rated win in a Grade 3 mile at Aqueduct, and has worked well since.

◗ She worked a bullet six furlongs Jan. 28 in company with Just a Smidge, who came out of the workout to score a $52 upset in a second-level allowance.

◗ Drayden Van Dyke rides Marley’s Freedom.

Escape Clause, by Going Commando

Last 3 Beyers: 91-90-87

◗ The 19-for-28 mare shortens to a sprint after a Jan. 12 route-race romp over a suspect field in the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes. She has posted two fast workouts at Turf Paradise since then, and merits utmost respect in her sharp form.

◗ Tyler Baze, who previously rode Selcourt in all eight career starts, including four wins, opted for Escape Clause in the Santa Monica. Baze also rode Escape Clause to her La Canada victory.

Paradise Woods, by Union Rags

Last 3 Beyers: 88-89-92

◗ In 2017, she won two Grade 1 routes – the Santa Anita Oaks and Zenyatta Stakes – and finished second to Unique Bella in the Grade 1, seven-furlong La Brea. Last year in the Santa Monica, Paradise Woods finished fourth as the odds-on favorite.

◗ Joel Rosario has worked Paradise Woods and is her new rider. Shirreffs said the 5-year-old mare will stretch out for her next start.

Dream Tree, by Uncle Mo [SCRATCHED]

Last 3 Beyers: 42-100-82

◗ She bombed in the Grade 1 La Brea on Dec. 26, finishing last at odds-on.

“She was just flat,” Baffert said. “But she’s been training really well right now.”

◗ The cynical view on 5-for-6 Dream Tree is she has run fast only once – a 100-Beyer victory last summer. Her top Beyer otherwise is 86. Dream Tree faces older fillies and mares for the first time Saturday.

◗ Mike Smith is her rider.

Selcourt, by Tiz Wonderful

Last 3 Beyers: 77-67-104

◗ She won the Santa Monica by more than four lengths last year, then was sidelined. Her 12th-place comeback in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint is excusable; her low-figure runner-up finish last out in the Kalookan Queen here is a mystery. Sadler said Selcourt misbehaved pre-race.

“She didn’t act good in the paddock,” he said. “She was really hard to saddle, she wanted to throw herself around. Could barely get the saddle on her. And she just wasn’t good.”

Sadler said Selcourt has been paddock-schooled repeatedly since then.

◗ Joe Talamo is her new rider.