Comanche Country takes two-race win streak into Surfer Girl Stakes; $406,147 pick five carryover
Comanche Country left Del Mar last month with a perfect record in the United States after two starts. If she maintains her perfect record in this country on Sunday at Santa Anita, she is likely bound for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 4 at Keeneland.
The Surfer Girl is the last leg of an early pick five that features a $406,147 carryover on Sunday.
The winner of the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 10, Comanche Country will be favored to extend her winning streak to three races in the Grade 3 Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
The Irish-bred Comanche Country lost her first two starts, both in her home country. She won a maiden special weight race on July 30 at Del Mar in her first American start, and then the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. In both races, she rallied from off the pace going a mile on turf under Umberto Rispoli.
:: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF PPs, Clocker Reports, Picks, and more. Shop Now.
“She’s a very solid filly, very steady,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “Once you get her on the grass, she comes to life.”
Comanche Country, who races for the Little Red Feather Racing partnership, Sterling Stable, and Marsha Naify, drew post 3 in a field of 10 in the $200,000 Surfer Girl, the first of three stakes on Sunday’s 10-race program.
Her biggest rival may be stablemate Excelia, who was third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf in her American debut. Excelia, owned by R Unicorn Stable, made her first five starts in Ireland, all in sprints.
“She looks to have enjoyed the firmer turf,” D’Amato said. “She wasn’t getting that overseas. She looks like she appreciates the two turns.”
Excelia led in the stretch of the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf under Ramon Vazquez and was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Comanche Court.
“Ramon said after the race she got a little tired late,” D’Amato said. “He’s been breezing her since, and he thought she is a much fitter filly this time.”
Comanche Country and Excelia have worked in company in recent weeks, D’Amato said.
In the Surfer Girl, Excelia is likely to take a more forward position than Comanche Country early in the race.
“I think they’re both pretty versatile,” D’Amato said. “Excelia may have a little more tactical speed than Comanche Country. It will depend on the trip.”
Sell the Dream was second in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf in her first start as far as a mile, and also returns in the Surfer Girl. Trained by Brian Koriner, Sell the Dream closed from fourth of 11 in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf to reach contention in the stretch, but could not keep pace with Comanche Country.
“It seems like she’s coming along,” Koriner said. “That was her first route. The winner tracked us right around there and pulled a slingshot.
“I think she’s sitting on a good one. It was a good education for her.”
The Surfer Girl drew a field of 10, including Fast and Shiny, who was supplemented for $4,000. Trained by Bob Baffert, Fast and Shiny was fifth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 10. She will have her turf debut in the Surfer Girl Stakes.
Swingtime Stakes
Natural Colour finished fifth in the Possibly Perfect Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita in June, her first start in Southern California. She has since won two turf stakes in Northern California, justifying a return to Santa Anita for the $80,000 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf Sunday.
Trained by Manny Badilla for Ron Charles and Samuel Gordon, Natural Colour is part of a field of seven in the Swingtime, which is restricted to fillies and mares who have not won a stakes worth $60,000 or more to the winner at a mile or farther this year.
Natural Colour won the $76,350 Luther Burbank Stakes at Santa Rosa in August and the $52,250 Golden Gate Turf Distaff in September.
Warren’s Candy Girl is the only other 2022 stakes winner in the Swingtime field. Trained by Craig Lewis, Warren’s Candy Girl won the $151,000 Solana Beach Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares on Aug. 21 at Del Mar. Races for statebreds are exempt from the Swingtime conditions.
D’Amato has two live runners in Counterparty Risk, who may set the pace, and Hamwood Flier, who was second in the restricted Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar in July.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.