Go With Gusto has backup plan against males in Qatar Golden Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Go With Gusto is entered in two turf races on Friday at Santa Anita – the $150,000 Qatar Golden Mile in the first race and the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile about four hours later.

Go With Gusto is assured of a start in the Golden Mile, but is on the also-eligible list for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Go With Gusto was not selected for the Juvenile Fillies Turf when pre-entries were taken in late October. She is the first alternate should a late scratch occur.

“I’m still very frustrated,” trainer Mark Casse said of the situation earlier this week.

Go With Gusto finished first against males in her debut in a maiden race on Aug. 13 at Woodbine, only to be disqualified and placed sixth for causing interference.

Undeterred, Casse entered Go With Gusto in the Grade 1 Summer Stakes against 2-year-olds there Sept. 16 and watched her rally wide from eighth to finish third behind Carson’s Run, who starts in Friday’s BC Juvenile Turf.

The Golden Mile is the first of four stakes on Santa Anita’s program run in advance of five Breeders’ Cup races for juveniles.

The Golden Mile drew a field of eight, including the Irish stakes winner Asean, the impeccably bred Ultra Power, and Lord Bullingdon, a maiden who was second in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 10.

Ultra Power, by Curlin, is out of the two-time champion Unique Bella. Trained by Bob Baffert, Ultra Power will start on turf and at a mile for the first time after winning his second start in a maiden race at seven furlongs on Sept. 24 at Los Alamitos.

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“I want to stretch him out,” Baffert said. “It’s more of an experiment, and it gives him some two-turn experience.”

The other three stakes on the Friday undercard are sprints, including the $150,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. There are two $175,000 stakes for statebred 2-year-olds at seven furlongs – the Golden State Juvenile and the Golden State Juvenile Fillies.

Sen. Ken Maddy

A home turf-course advantage may help Elm Drive in the Maddy, which drew a field of 13. Elm Drive won the Mizdirection Stakes in her only start on the hillside in May. She has been beaten in her last three starts in stakes on dirt.

“Anytime you’ve won down the hill, you’re at an advantage,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

“I just want her tactical. On the grass, she seems to have more of a turn of foot. I was very impressed with how she won down the hill. She showed a nice kick late. She doesn’t need to be on the lead.”

The Maddy field includes the British stakes winner White Moonlight, who won consecutive starts in minor stakes on turf and an all-weather surface in June and July. White Moonlight is likely to be near the front in the Maddy.

Golden State Juvenile Fillies

In a span of less than a week at Del Mar in early September, Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith won the Generous Portion Stakes for statebred 2-year-old fillies with Crazy Hot and a maiden race with the first-time starter Mirinda.

In the Golden State Juvenile Fillies, Smith will ride Mirinda in her second start. John Velazquez has the mount on Crazy Hot.

Mirinda, trained by Gary Mandella, led throughout a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs on Sept. 10, pulling clear by 6 1/2 lengths in the sharp time of 1:03.77.

Mandella said Mirinda is not reliant on leading the Golden State Juvenile Fillies. He has noticed aspects of Mirinda’s recent training that shows the filly can be patient, if necessary.

“I’m seeing that she’ll settle and finish,” he said. “You want Mike to have options of not being on the lead if he doesn’t want to.”

Mirinda may be naturally quick enough to lead, Mandella said.

“I think it’s safe to say that’s plan A,” he said.

Golden State Juvenile

Dr. No No and Mici’s Express, first and second by a nose in the I’m Smokin Stakes at six furlongs on Sept. 8 at Del Mar, have drawn opposite sides of the gate in the Golden State Juvenile.

Dr. No No has an inside post for the first time in his fourth start. Mici’s Express, who starts in post 12, followed the narrow loss in the I’m Smokin Stakes with a troubled fifth in the Grade 3 Zuma Beach Stakes at a mile on turf Oct. 8.

Last Call London, third by a half-length in the I’m Smokin, is part of the Golden State Juvenile field. Last Call London will race as a gelding for the first time Friday.

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