D'Amato liking his chances in Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint

ARCADIA, Calif. – S Y Sky has been popular with bettors, going favored in seven of her eight starts. She has not always obliged, winning three of those starts.

Saturday, S Y Sky will once again be well supported in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint for California-breds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old S Y Sky can win, but will face a stern test from seven rivals, notably her stablemate Barbara Beatrice.

“I think I’ve got a one-two punch,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

S Y Sky races for owner and breeder Nick Alexander. A two-time stakes winner, S Y Sky was second in an allowance race for California-bred fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt on Jan. 10. She disputed the pace, led briefly, but could not hold off Show It N Moe It, who is bound for a stakes in February, trainer Gary Sherlock said last weekend.

Saturday, S Y Sky is expected to be near the front in her first start on turf since a win in an optional claimer on the hillside course in July 2017.

“She has tactical speed,” D’Amato said.

Barbara Beatrice, owned by D’Amato and Queen Bee Racing, won the California Distaff Handicap on the hillside turf course in October 2017 and was second in the 2018 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint. Barbara Beatrice was fourth behind Show It N Moe It on Jan. 10 in her first start since May.

“Barbara Beatrice needed that race to get the cobwebs out,” D’Amato said.

In a fascinating coincidence, three horses out of Lady Railrider have drawn adjacent post positions. The full sisters Pulpit Rider, 4, and Halo Darlin, 6, both by Lucky Pulpit, are in posts 2 and 3, while their 5-year-old half-sister by Unusual Heat, Fiery Lady, starts from post 4.

They were bred by Larry and Marianne Williams, who own Pulpit Rider. Trained by Mike Puype, Pulpit Rider has finished second and third in optional claimers against open company in her last two starts.

The Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint will be the first start for Cordiality since she was claimed for $62,500 on Dec. 30. Now trained by Peter Miller, Cordiality won two stakes for California-bred fillies and mares on turf last year – the Fran’s Valentine Stakes here in May and the Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar in August.

Seven in Cal Cup Turf Sprint

Saturday’s $100,000 California Cup Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds on the hillside turf course will be the first time Irish Heatwave has run in a stakes on turf. Irish Heatwave won an optional claimer on the course on Jan. 1.

Trained by Keith Desormeaux, Irish Heatwave closed from ninth in a field of 12 to win the optional claimer by a nose over the stakes winner Listing, who also is part of the California Cup Turf Sprint field.

“He acted like he’d been running down the hill his whole life,” Desormeaux said.

The California Cup Turf Sprint has drawn a field of seven. Our Silver Oak, who starts from the rail, has run in three stakes in his five-race career. Trained by William Morey, Our Silver Oak was a well-beaten second in the King Glorious Stakes for statebreds at Los Alamitos on Dec. 16.

Our Silver Oak has been gelded since his last start.

“I think he’s a little more manageable,” Morey said.