Danny California facing winners for first time

Danny California has markedly improved in his two last starts and will try to take another step forward Sunday at Aqueduct when he makes his first start against winners in a first-level optional-claiming race for New York-bred 3-year-olds.

The nine-race card also includes a first-level optional-claiming race for statebred 3-year-old fillies and a first-level allowance for older New York-bred fillies and mares.

Danny California will need a top effort to succeed in the mile race (race 8) as he will face Violent Delights, who has upped his game since trainer Tom Albertrani equipped him with blinkers two starts back, and the Todd Pletcher-trained Analyze the Odds, the only two-time winner in the seven-horse field.

A son of Afleet Alex owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and Chris Larsen, Danny California ran extremely well in his most recent start to outfinish the Pletcher-trained Speke in a statebred maiden race. The performance prompted trainer Tom Morley to nominate him to the Grade 3 Gotham, which he ultimately passed up in favor of this race.

“Last time, he put it all together and beat a nice horse of Todd’s,” Morley said. “We nominated him to the Gotham for a reason, and if it had come up with a short field we may have had a go at it.”

The maiden win was the second consecutive good effort by Danny California. On Jan. 18, he got left at the start in a mile maiden race but made a sustained, wide run to be beaten only one length.

“Two races back, he wasn’t standing square at the start,” Morley said. “He ran very well to be a close fourth.”

Danny California’s last two races have been an improvement over his first three starts.

“He has always been a colt of excellent ability, but it’s been sort of a learning process for me and for him,” Morley said. “He’s a huge, big-striding horse, and if he gets checked, as he has in a few of his races, it takes him time to get going again. We’ve always thought the farther he goes and the older he gets the better he will be.”

Violent Delights won his maiden at 8-1 when blinkers were added to his equipment for his fourth start. He was clearly second-best at this level last time out to Dig That Mine, the 9-5 favorite who was winning his second consecutive race.

Late-running Analyze the Odds won the New York Futurity at Finger Lakes in September. He finished second at this level in his most recent race to front-running blowout winner Flash Drive, who has won 2 of his last 3.

In race 5, the filly equivalent to race 8, Forever Daisy will likely be favored for trainer David Donk. She won a maiden race by 6 1/4 lengths in her last start and earned a 61 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest number in the field.

Forever Daisy, a daughter of 2008 Travers winner Colonel John, will be stretching out from six furlongs to a mile.