Comebacking fillies square off in allowance
A pair of 3-year-old fillies who made their last start against males in September’s Gottstein Futurity will square off in a first-level allowance/optional $30,000 claiming race that serves as the feature Saturday at Emerald Downs. The feature is part of a nine-race card that gets started at 2 p.m. Pacific.
Five of the eight fillies entered are making their first start of the season, including Annette Marie who attempted to press the pace in the Gottstein Futurity. Trained by Candice Cryderman, Annette Marie tired to finish eighth of 11, 41 1/4 lengths behind runaway wire-to-wire winner Lloyds Logic.
There figures to be plenty of early speed in this 5 1/2-furlong dash, and Annette Marie and jockey Kevin Radke should have options after breaking from post 7.
Second-time starter Stepup, who was a romping winner of her August debut at this distance, drew the outside post. She led all the way in her only start.
Stepup has been working steadily this spring and seems to have come to hand in recent mornings for trainer Jose Navarro. Stepup worked five furlongs in 59.80 from the gate last Sunday.
Another filly of note is Aloha Breeze, who won the Barbara Shinpoch Stakes last August at Emerald and in her last start placed in a stakes at Turf Paradise in December. Aloha Breeze is conditioned by Tom Wenzel and will break from post 4. Although a speedster herself, she can run hooked and didn’t give up the chase when denied the lead in last year’s Angie C. Stakes over the local strip.
Horseplayers should anticipate potential maturity from those who have not raced since 2022, and that could make Aloha Breeze the one to beat. The daughter of The Factor is among a trio of these who drilled five furlongs in 59.80 here last Sunday. Carlos Montalvo is named to ride for owner George Todaro.
As a 2022 debut winner, Aloha Breeze has proven she can serve up a top effort when fresh. Most of the other speed drew outside of Aloha Breeze, and there may be enough room to let them all go and try to finesse a productive trip from just behind the first flight.
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