Dangerously Close looks to bounce back from illness
Since winning her debut March 3, Dangerously Close has been severely ill, sent to a central California to recover, and returned to the track to post quick workout times.
Dangerously Close’s current condition has left trainer Dan Blacker hopeful the 3-year-old filly can win an optional claimer for California-bred fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs Thursday at Los Alamitos.
The optional claimer is the seventh race on an eight-race program, the opening day of the track’s two-week summer meeting that runs through July 16.
Dangerously Close drew the rail in a field of eight. She is one of four runners to win maiden races in their last starts, a group that includes Alpenhorn, Empress Rules, and Song of Ekati.
KEY CONTENDERS
Dangerously Close, by Ministers Wild Cat
Last Beyer: 65
Dangerously Close won a maiden race for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs, leading throughout to prevail by a length over Queen Bee to You. The form of the race has held up. Queen Bee to You returned to win a maiden race April 7 and later finished third in the Melair Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies in May.
Shortly after the maiden race win, Dangerously Close was diagnosed with pneumonia, Blacker said. She was sent to owner John Harris’s farm in Coalinga, Calif., to recover.
“Harris Farms did an amazing job,” Blacker said. “The racetrack is not the best place for a sick horse.
“A month later, she was back here working three-eighths. She’s come back stronger.”
Dangerously Close has worked quickly at times in recent weeks at Santa Anita, notably five furlongs in 59.80 seconds June 12 and three furlongs in 36 on Sunday, the fastest times of those respective mornings.
Dangerously Close will start from the rail Thursday. Blacker expects jockey Stewart Elliott to have the filly involved from the start.
“She’s got speed,” Blacker said. “I imagine she’ll be pretty close.”
Blacker said Dangerously Close will be considered for the $200,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Del Mar on July 30 if she runs well Thursday.
Song of Ekati, by Tale of Ekati
Last Beyers: 74
Song of Ekati won her debut in a $75,000 claimer for maidens at Santa Anita in May 2016, but has not raced since. Song of Ekati worked periodically from early June to late October last year and then had a break of nearly six months between workouts before resuming in mid-April.
Trained by Mark Glatt, Song of Ekati also has worked well and is expected to be part of the pace. She worked five furlongs in 59.60 at Santa Anita on June 29, the fastest work of the morning at the distance.
