D'Amato trio led by Amy C in Las Cienegas Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Horse-for-course specialist Amy C tops a trio of Phil D’Amato trainees in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes on Monday at Santa Anita. However, due to weather, it is uncertain if Amy C will be running downhill on her favorite course or if the race will be switched to the main oval.

Eight fillies and mares entered the Las Cienegas, race 1, scheduled for 6 1/2 furlongs on the Santa Anita hill. Rain this week caused Santa Anita to limit Sunday races to dirt only. The severity of a storm expected to arrive Saturday will determine if the Las Cienegas remains on the hill.

The Santa Anita downhill turf course crosses the main track at the top of the stretch. When the main track is wet, hillside races typically are moved to the main oval. This precludes the need for horses to navigate the crossing from turf, to wet dirt, back to turf.

Regardless of course, the Las Cienegas goes through the D’Amato trio. Amy C is 2 for 2 on the hill; Lady Edith, a multiple stakes winner in the East and Midwest, makes her first start for D’Amato. Burgoo is a graded winner who scratched from a Grade 3 route Saturday to run Monday. Amy C is the 5-2 program favorite, with Lady Edith as the 3-1 second choice and Burgoo Alley 4-1 co-third choice.

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The field also includes Midwest-based Brooke Marie, who won a Grade 2 on the Santa Anita hill last spring, stakes-placed Royal Address, Freedom Flyer and Countess Rosina.

The horse to beat is Amy C.

“She’s proven to have an affinity for turf sprints, especially down the hill,” D’Amato said, adding a qualifier. “We’ll see if we are on the hill. We’ve been pointing for this race ever since her last race, hoping to run her in these grass sprints throughout the meet.”

Amy C won an allowance on the hill in June, and confirmed her affinity for the layout by winning the $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy in late October. The Las Cienegas has been her target since. Umberto Rispoli will ride the 4-for-9 mare.

Lady Edith arrived in the D’Amato stable a month ago after winning 5 of 17 in the East and Midwest. “She comes in with some really nice running lines,” D’Amato said. “She’s proven very effective in turf sprints back East. I’ve had her for about a month or so, and look forward to running her in this race.”

John Velazquez rides Lady Edith, whose previous trainer was Christophe Clemente.

Burgoo Alley entered the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes on Saturday, but scratched to run in the Las Cienegas. Flavien Prat rides her back after acknowledging to D’Amato he took too much hold last out in a turf mile stakes at Del Mar. She finished fifth as the favorite.

“She’s a filly you don’t want to take a hold of, and (Prat) just guzzled her,” D’Amato recalled. “He came back and said, I think I screwed up. I said, ‘yeah.’ ”

Burgoo Alley has run well on the Santa Anita turf course around two turns, and in sprints on the flat and on the hill. She has won 3 of 15.

Royal Address pressed the pace and finished third last out, in front of Burgoo Alley, and will shorten to her preferred sprint distance on Monday. Trainer Neil Drysdale said, “She likes the hill. I was happy to see her go a distance of ground the other day at Del Mar, because when she first arrived (from Europe) she couldn’t do that.” Joe Bravo rides Royal Address, who is 4 for 17.

Brooke Marie won the Grade 2 Monrovia Stakes on the hill last spring, but her recent Midwest races have not been impressive. If she returns to form, she could win with a pressing trip. But at age 7, the 6-for-19 mare might be reaching the end of the line.

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