Fun to Dream using Betty Grable as bridge to possible La Brea start

Before the filly Fun to Dream is considered as a serious contender for a Grade 1 in December at Santa Anita, she must first knock off Cal-bred fillies Sunday at Del Mar.

Fun to Dream has few to beat.

The $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes attracted five filly-mare sprinters, the smallest field since the race moved to Del Mar in 2014. It was run with five starters in 2013 at Hollywood Park when it was named the Cat’s Cradle.

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By any name, the Betty Grable comes at an opportune time for Fun to Dream, who has three wins from four starts. She is trained by Bob Baffert for owners Jill Baffert, his wife, and Connie Pageler.

After a route win in her latest start, Baffert considered keeping the filly at two turns. But there were no stakes options for her.

The Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes, historically run in December, was left off the schedule at Los Alamitos, creating a three-month gap between filly-mare dirt stakes in California. The Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes was Oct. 2 at Santa Anita; the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes is Jan. 14 at Santa Anita.

Fortunately for Fun to Dream, by Arrogate, she is eligible for the Betty Grable, after which Baffert will consider a more prestigious race.

“Hopefully she runs well, and then I’d like to maybe take a shot in the La Brea with her,” he said.

The Grade 1 La Brea for 3-year-old sprint fillies is Dec. 26, opening day of the winter meet at Santa Anita. Baffert-trained La Brea candidates might also include Midnight Memories, Ganadora, and Under the Stars.

The highlight of the Dec. 26 program is the seven-furlong Grade 1 Malibu Stakes, which is the target for the Baffert-trained Taiba following his third-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

“He came out of it well,” Baffert said. “I’ll probably point him for the Malibu.”

Sunday at Del Mar, Fun to Dream is expected to be favored in the Betty Grable, race 8. Her main rival is Big Novel, who has finished second or third in five Cal-bred stakes but never won one. The other entrants are Taming the Tigress, All Dialed In, and Roman Empress.

Fun to Dream won the Fleet Treat Stakes at Del Mar in summer, but in an allowance sprint there in September, she was disqualified from second and placed ninth for interference.

“That’s why I took the blinkers off,” Baffert said. “She’s a little bit edgy.”

The changed worked. Fun to Dream scored a decisive allowance route win last out by more than four lengths.

“She’s getting better with age,” Baffert said. “She’s happy, she looks great, she’s training well.”

Juan Hernandez rides Fun to Dream.

Big Novel, trained by John Sadler, returns from a seven-month layoff with a solid workout pattern. Flavien Prat rides Big Novel, a 2 for 8 Mr. Big filly.

◗ In race 6 Sunday for maiden 2-year-olds, Baffert entered an apparent rocket ship. Gilmore, a colt by Twirling Candy, has worked fast and could be long gone under John Velazquez. Baffert and Velazquez are 11 for 13 with dirt first-time starters since last fall.

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