Forest Chatter targets fourth straight win in Friday feature
ARCADIA, Calif. – Forest Chatter is having a perfect year at Santa Anita.
In three starts on the hillside turf course, Forest Chatter has gone from a maiden winner Jan. 8 to the winner of two optional-claiming races through mid-March. There was talk of running Forest Chatter in Sunday’s $100,000 San Simeon Stakes on the hillside turf course until trainer Richard Mandella diverted Forest Chatter to an optional claimer on the hillside Friday.
Forest Chatter will be favored to extend his winning streak and is part of a full field in the optional claimer at about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. The race drew 13 entrants but will have a safety limit of 10 runners since the temporary turf rails are set 24 feet out from the permanent position.
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Key contenders
Forest Chatter (Last 3 Beyers: 92-90-86)
* In his current winning streak, Forest Chatter has won from the front and from off the pace. The winning streak includes a maiden race for California-breds, an optional claimer against California-breds, and an optional claimer against open company.
* In two starts last year, Forest Chatter, who races for Pam and Marty Wygod, was fourth in a maiden race on the Polytrack synthetic surface at Del Mar in August and second in a maiden race on turf there in November.
“It could be the grass, but he may have needed the experience,” Mandella said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Forest Chatter. Runners he beat in his last race on March 14 have gone 4-0-0-0 in their immediate next starts. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Rosengold (Last 3 Beyers: 77-92-83)
* Rosengold won three consecutive stakes for 3-year-olds on turf in 2013 and was second by a nose in the Siren Lure Stakes on the hillside turf course last June when trained by Julio Canani. The 5-year-old horse now is trained by Cliff Sise Jr. and races for Betty Currin.
* The optional claimer will be Rosengold’s first start since a seventh in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf last July. Rosengold will run for a $62,500 claiming price, which is a reflection of his eligibility, Sise said.
“He’s got no conditions,” he said. “I think he’s pretty fit. We’ve all got to beat Mandella in there.”
Bobby Z Man (Last 3 Beyers: 87-86-87)
* Bobby Z Man has the fastest turnaround of any runners in the field, having won an allowance race on the hillside turf course April 10. Trained by Barry Abrams, Bobby Z Man has won 2 of 3 starts since March 1, with both wins coming on the hillside turf course.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Indexical is 2-1-1-0 in races on the Santa Anita downhill turf course. Trainer Ben Cecil is 38-1-6-4 over the past five years with all other runners on that course. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan