Distance the issue for The Wild Grazer in Lady of Shamrock Stakes
The Wild Grazer makes her stakes debut in Sunday’s $100,000 Lady of Shamrock Stakes at Santa Anita. The distance of the race presents an unknown element for The Wild Grazer, who is on a two-race winning streak.
The Lady of Shamrock Stakes is run at a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies, a new distance for The Wild Grazer. The Wild Grazer has won her two starts in the United States, a maiden race at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar in November and an allowance race at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Jan. 8. In both wins, The Wild Grazer closed from off the pace under leading rider Juan Hernandez to reach the front in the final furlong.
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Trainer Jeff Mullins questioned Friday whether The Wild Grazer would be closer to the front at a longer distance in the Lady of Shamrock Stakes or race with the same closing style.
“That’s one thing we don’t know,” Mullins said. “We’ll have to leave it to Juan. We want to find out if she can do it.
“She’s had a few starts and Juan knows her. She deserves a chance.”
The Wild Grazer, who races for Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, drew post 3.
The Wild Grazer ran twice in Ireland, finishing eighth and third in maiden races last summer. In her final start in Ireland, The Wild Grazer was third by 3 1/2 lengths in a maiden race won by Victoria Road at The Curragh. Victoria Road later won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland last November.
The Wild Grazer is part of a field of seven that includes Broadway Girls and Tea N Conversation, who were first and fourth in the Blue Norther Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on turf on Dec. 30 at Santa Anita; Ag Bullet, who led throughout a maiden race on the hillside turf course in her debut on the surface Jan. 22; and Quickly Park It, winner of the Pike Place Dancer Stakes at a mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields in October.
Broadway Girls and Ag Bullet figure to race near the front. Broadway Girls led throughout the Blue Norther. She failed to get to the lead and finished last of six in the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile on dirt Jan. 28.
Tea N Conversation, trained by Michael McCarthy, closed from seventh in a field of 12 to win a maiden race at a mile on turf on Dec. 30 at Del Mar. In the Blue Norther, Tea N Conversation closed from last of 11 in the final half-mile and lost by 2 1/4 lengths in her stakes debut.
The pace in this field may be sharper, which would enhance Tea N Conversation’s chances.
McCarthy expressed some concern Friday whether Tea N Conversation’s closing style would be affected with the temporary rails set 20 feet out from the permanent position. With the rails out, the turf course is narrower, which can impact the chances of a closer.
“She doesn’t have a whole lot of tactical speed,” McCarthy said. “It looks like there is pace on paper. With the rails out, it doesn’t help a whole bunch.”
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