Finest City kicks off season in Santa Monica

ARCADIA, Calif. – Finest City is best known for winning the nation’s biggest sprint for females last year, but she may not be in the sprint division for long.

Finest City, who won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita last November, will be favored to win her 2017 debut in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs.

The Grade 2 Santa Monica at Santa Anita will not define her season, trainer Ian Kruljac said. He is planning to run Finest City in a wider range of races this year.

“She’s not just a sprinter,” Kruljac said. “I don’t think we’ll go below 6 1/2 furlongs or do more than 1 1/8 miles.”

The immediate focus is the Santa Monica, Finest City’s first start since the BC Filly and Mare Sprint. The race will be run hours before the Eclipse Awards ceremony in Florida, where Finest City is a finalist for outstanding female sprinter of 2016.

Owned by Tyler Seltzer, Finest City drew the rail in a field of five in the Santa Monica and will be a strong favorite against four other stakes winners – Bad Ju Ju, Dr. Fager’s Gal, Fantastic Style, and Sheer Pleasure.

KEY CONTENDERS

Finest City, by City Zip

Last 3 Beyers: 94-94-93

◗ Finest City won 2 of 8 starts in 2016, with both wins in sprints. She won the Grade 2 Great Lady M Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos last April to give the 28-year-old Kruljac his first stakes win. Finest City was second by a head in both the Santa Monica Stakes last January and the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar in September.

◗ Finest City has the ability to race as a closer or dispute the pace. With an inside post in the Santa Monica, jockey Mike Smith is likely to have Finest City on the lead.

“That’s what Mike is on her for,” Kruljac said. “It’s something to overcome. She’s won from the 1 hole before.”

If Finest City makes the lead, Kruljac said, the other runners are in for a battle.

“She’s a fighter,” Kruljac said. “She hard to beat when she gets to the front.”

Fantastic Style, by Harlan’s Holiday

Last 3 Beyers: 57-75-96

◗ The Santa Monica will be Fantastic Style’s first start for trainer Doug O’Neill. On Dec. 31, owner Kaleem Shah and previous trainer Bob Baffert parted ways, with Fantastic Style joining O’Neill’s stable the next day.

◗ Fantastic Style was fifth at 1-2 in the Kalookan Queen Stakes behind Bad Ju Ju on Dec. 30 on a wet-fast track. The Kalookan Queen was Fantastic Style’s first start since a third in the Skipat Stakes at Pimlico last May.

◗ O’Neill said the last few weeks have provided him and his team a chance to get to know Fantastic Style.

“She hadn’t been out a little bit before her last race and probably needed the race,” he said. “She hasn’t shown anything negative since we’ve had her.”

Bad Ju Ju, by Desert Code

Last 3 Beyers: 83-85-81

◗ Bad Ju Ju will have her graded stakes debut in the Santa Monica.

◗ Claimed for $40,000 in October by trainer Peter Miller for Rockingham Ranch, Bad Ju Ju has won her last three starts.

◗ She is a threat from off the pace.