Free: Juvenile filly champion Echo Zulu a watch, not a wager in Fair Grounds Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – Plenty of notes and opinions this week regarding Santa Anita, Keeneland, Oaklawn Park, Sunland Park, and Fair Grounds, where Echo Zulu is favored Saturday in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks. Here goes …

Echo Zulu and history

One-turn speedster Echo Zulu was training last fall at Santa Anita for her initial two-turn try in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar when someone affiliated with the filly asked rhetorically about 2022.

“What race do you like her in, the Kentucky Oaks or the Test?” the person asked.

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While the seven-furlong Test seemed obvious, neither race has often been won by BC Juvenile Fillies winners. Go for Wand and Indian Blessing are the only BC Juvenile Fillies winners to have won the Test. Open Mind, Silverbulletday, and Fran’s Valentine (who was disqualified from he BC win) are the only ones to have won the Oaks.

Echo Zulu will be the 10th undefeated BC Juvenile Fillies winner to race again. All returned at odds-on, five won: Meadow Star, Indian Blessing, Awesome Feather, My Miss Aurelia, Songbird. Four missed: Storm Flag Flying, Halfbridled, Dreaming of Anna, British Idiom.

Echo Zulu would be a dubious proposition Saturday if not for the pesky considerations of speed, pace, and class. Some races, particularly six-horse fields like the Fair Grounds Oaks, are simply unplayable. Odds-on is no value on Echo Zulu, even if she should win.

Cavalry Charge has edge

Advantage, home team. The Grade 2 Muniz Memorial Classic has been won four of the last seven years by the winner of the local prep, the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Stakes. Cavalry Charge aims to repeat the pattern Saturday. True, he benefited from a soft pace upsetting the Fair Ground Stakes, but his versatility will allow him to get the jump on Sacred Life and Santin in the Muniz. Cavalry Charge is 5 for 9 since moving to turf, and never favored.

Mendez’s absence will be felt

The cheery report that Santa Anita may begin 2-year-old races as early as April 15 was unexpected. The date is more than two weeks sooner than the track typically offers 2-year-old races, and the 2022 program will be without full participation from a key stable.

Last spring, trainer Luis Mendez accounted for nearly one-fifth of Santa Anita juvenile starters (19 of 106) and won four of the 16 races. This spring, however, Mendez will campaign 2-year-olds at Keeneland, where the first baby race is scheduled for April 8.

Big City Lights drills for return

Big City Lights, a hotshot juvenile colt last spring at Santa Anita, is gearing up for a 3-year-old campaign. A year ago, Big City Lights won a maiden race by more than 12, and the Fasig-Tipton Futurity by more than seven (93 and 85 Beyers), then was turned out after surgery for a knee chip. Trained by Mendez and owned by William Peeples, Big City Lights is fully recovered. He posted two short works this month at Santa Anita, and was scheduled to work a half Thursday. A comeback in May is the target. Stay tuned.

Astute on comeback trail

Another stakes sprinter coming back is the filly Astute, whose 2021 campaign ended after one start due to an ankle chip. Richard Mandella trains the 3-for-4 filly, who worked Sunday.

“She had her first serious kind of work,” he said. “Real nice.”

Astute won the Desi Arnaz Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in 2020 at Del Mar, and the Angel’s Flight last May at Santa Anita. Astute may have a big season at 4.

“Hope so,” Mandella said. “She can really run.”

Hope so. The California female sprint division has room beyond Edgeway, Merneith and Ce Ce.

A Sensational performance

Brickyard Ride’s win in the Sensational Star Stakes on Sunday was more impressive than it seems. From 22 races since Santa Anita resumed hillside turf races last fall, Brickyard Ride is only the second horse to win leading at every pace call. He did it the hard way, setting the fastest fractions since the course resumed use – 21.21 and 42.76 en route to the fastest final time of the 22 hill races, 1:11.45. The next start for Brickyard Ride is likely to be a return to dirt in the Grade 3 Kona Gold Stakes on April 30. Catch him if you can.

Filling Prat’s big shoes

Flavien Prat’s exit from California leaves a few top mounts open, including Going Global, trainer Phil D’Amato’s turf filly whom Prat rode to five graded wins last year. Umberto Rispoli will ride Going Global when she returns April 9 in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita. D’Amato also may need a Prat replacement for Bellabel, impressive stakes winner in her U.S. debut in January. Count Again, who won the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile under Prat, will ship to Keeneland for the Grade 1 Maker’s Mark on April 15. Rider to be determined.

Neige Blanche eyes road trip

California turf runners are often outclassed in the East and Midwest, but Neige Blanche may consider a road trip. The Santa Anita-based mare seeks her fourth Grade 3 win Saturday in the Santa Ana, then the Grade 3 Santa Barbara May 14. Afterward, “We’ll make a decision to stay here, or maybe try deeper waters back East,” trainer Leonard Powell said.

Lying in wait may be Grade 1 winner War Like Goddess, who is working at Payson Park for her first race since running third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

Bye Bye Bertie quite the claim

Bye Bye Bertie became the first North American horse to win her first four starts of 2022 by taking a starter allowance last week at Santa Anita. Claimed for $40,000 last summer, Bye Bye Bertie since won 5 of 6 and earned $134,300.

“Whenever you claim a horse, you think you’re going to do something different that is going to improve them,” trainer Leonard Powell said, giving away no secrets. “She seems to have improved.”

Still a Superstar at age 9

Hats off to old pro Rated R Superstar, the 9-year-old gelding who won the Grade 3 Essex Handicap last Saturday at Oaklawn Park. He has won four races and $706,991 from 11 starts since being claimed for $50,000 last year by Danny Caldwell and trainer Federica Villafranco.

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Rated R Superstar trivia: He is the only runner from the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile still racing. Rated R Superstar finished 11th behind BC Juvenile winner Nyquist.

Early Sunland selections

Nyquist-sired Slow Down Andy should win the Grade 3 Sunland Derby on Sunday after a wide trip last out against better. He posted a sharp blinkers-on work last week at Santa Anita, and wears blinkers Sunday.

Slow Down Andy must catch likely pacesetter Straight Up G, but Slow Down Andy represents low-odds value at 2-1.

Two races earlier Sunday in race 9, the $300,000 Sunland Oaks is a mess. Ali Alley, a maiden, had a compromising trip in a stakes last out. She lost position on the far turn and finished okay. Listed at 10-1 and possibly going higher, Ali Alley is worth a token gamble in a race begging for chaos.