Earring faces modest field in turf-route allowance

ARCADIA, Calif. – Grass races in California remain ripe for shippers, including the latest newcomer Friday in race 3 at Santa Anita.

Earring makes her West Coast debut for trainer Tom Proctor in the 1 1/8-mile turf race, a second-level allowance for fillies and mares. Like most shippers to California, Earring faces an easier field than she met in recent starts.

Seven fillies and mares entered the Santa Anita allowance, including likely pacesetter Cordiality and last-out second- and third-place finishers Laseen and How Unusual. The others are Dynamic Mizzes K, Ginga, and Space Cadet.

Though she is not technically dropping in class, Earring faces an easier bunch than the Saratoga field she met last out when third behind two Chad Brown trainees. Pas de Souicis was a stakes winner in France making her U.S. debut; runner-up Galileo’s Song returned to finish second by a nose in a similar second-level allowance.

Earring, the likely favorite, can continue a recent trainer trend. Proctor is 4 for 10 with shippers to California since late July. He won Del Mar turf races with allowance runner Chicago Style, maidens Tweeting and West Coast Bias, and Grade 2 winner Cambodia.

KEY CONTENDERS

Earring, by Dansili
Last 3 Beyers: 86-68-89

◗ Earring arrived at Santa Anita in late September, worked twice, and faces a modest field. Owned by Glen Hill Farm, Earring’s dam is Together, winner of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in 2011 at Keeneland.

◗ A win by Earring would give jockey Drayden Van Dyke his first turf win of the meet in his 23rd turf mount.

Cordiality, by Papa Clem
Last 3 Beyers: 88-84-83

◗ She is expected to set the pace under jockey Tyler Baze over a turf course that played fair to all styles in the first two weeks of the meet.

◗ Trained by Mark Glatt, Cordiality wired a first-level allowance last out at Del Mar at one mile. She has won six of her last nine. Glatt also entered the late-runner Dynamic Mizzes K.

Laseen, by Dylan Thomas
Last 3 Beyers: 85-77-89

◗ A late-runner, Laseen was slightly compromised last out when she was blocked in the lane and finished second by a neck.

◗ Victor Espinoza rides for trainer Jim Cassidy.

How Unusual, by Unusual Heat
Last 3 Beyers: 84-82-85

◗ She finished a half-length behind Laseen last out when third in a similar second-level allowance.

◗ How Unusual, trained by Mike Pender, will be ridden by the meet’s leading turf rider, Corey Nakatani. He is 5 for 14 on turf.