Free's preview: Maiden standouts offer spot play potential

Maiden standout

A maiden filly making the second start of her career in race 3 Friday at Santa Anita could be fun to watch. Not sure about wagering value, however. Mindfully is a daughter of Bertrando produced by Grade 1-winning rocket ship Key Phrase (1995 Santa Monica Handicap). She was trained by Ron Ellis. He also trains Mindfully.

Mindfully is owned by her breeders, Pam and Marty Wygod, and will be ridden by Joe Talamo. Based on her debut, two turns is perfect.

First time out racing 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, Mindfully was void of speed. She took off at the three-eighths pole, raced wide, finished with run, and galloped out super past the wire. She lost by a half-length but ran wild.

Mindfully has worked well since raced and should love two turns. She is 2-1 on the morning line and possibly going down from there.

Ellis, take two

Seeking the Sherif was claimed in December for $12,500. In four starts since then for Ellis, she has one second and three wins, including a 103 Beyer Speed Figure last out in a second-level allowance. On Friday, he faces comebacker Super Ninety Nine in race 4.

Super Ninety Nine is the class of the field, winner of the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes in 2013 at Oaklawn, but unraced since a third in the Santa Anita Derby more than a year ago. Seeking the Sherif, meanwhile, is the “now” horse.

Good race between the sharp claiming horse and the comeback class. For the record, this handicapper picked Seeking the Sherif over Super Ninety Nine, but the race could go either way. They are listed at 8-5 and 9-5, respectively.

Two-rule comebacker

Two significant rule changes the last two years in California are the voided-claim rule (claims voided when horse is unsound post-race) and CHRB Rule 1634, which allows for a comebacker to return in a claiming race while ineligible to be claimed.

Race 8 starter Eleven Zip was a principal in both rules. Claimed last out, it was voided. That was Sept. 27. Now he returns more than eight months later in a maiden-50. He was entered “not be to be claimed,” per CHRB Rule 1634.

Sean McCarthy is the trainer of Eleven Zip. It was John Sadler who dropped the claim last summer, only to have it voided. Eleven Zip broke slowly both starts last year while showing late run both times.

An interesting first-time starter is the Bruce Headley-trained first-timer Philander. His main rival might be first-time gelding Antinanco, trained by Headley’s daughter, Karen Headley.

Spot plays

Race 3
MINDFULLY (#2, 2-1) finished well and galloped out super past the wire in her debut. Since then, she trained like a filly that wants every bit of two turns. Standout?

Race 8
The first-time starter PHILANDERER (#3, 6-1) reportedly is very fast, but his stamina is suspect. Racing only 5 1/2 furlongs in a maiden-50, he might steal it anyway.