Hammersly's preview: Tough to figure these babies

BABY RACE

An intriguing opener as five 2-year-old fillies - four first-timers and one experienced hand - knock heads going five furlongs. From the rail out:

Haleys Rainbow – A daughter of Grade 1 winner Songandaprayer, she debuts with strong Los Alamitos works. Among them are two recent bullets, including four furlongs in 46.40 June 13 for Kathy Walsh. Walsh can fire first time out (2 for last 10, 20 percent).

Caval – She makes her first start, and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has superb debut-win numbers (31 percent). She’s a daughter of Blame, who is best known as the only horse to defeat Zenyatta in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic a few years back. Three of her four siblings are winners, including Derbaas (8 wins, $505K, Group 2 winner and placed in Dubai). A brisk 59.20 five-furlong move here June 14 hints she has speed. The work was second fastest of 49 at that distance that day.

Yes She’s a Dancer – The only one in the field with experience. She ran third in both her starts, including on May 22 in what may have been the strongest 2-year-old filly race of the meet.

Partyin – Brings some strong works for Jeff Bonde into her debut. Bonde is another trainer with superb debut-win figures (20 percent). She’s bred to be fast (by top sprinter Henny Hughes) and has shown it in the mornings as she has two bullet works in her last three drills, including four furlongs in 47 from the gate here June 2, best of 38 that day. Five her of her six siblings are winners, including Diosa Indian (3 wins, $114K, four-times stakes placed at Calder).

So You Say – Hails from the Bob Baffert barn and, of course, Baffert is well known for his prowess with 2-year-old firsters. Baffert's better youngsters have sometimes debuted at this time of year in order to get them some experience before the big summer/fall stakes. This daughter of Flatter showed some zip in her June 4 work here (four furlongs in 47.80) but her June 11 work wasn’t the usual fast Baffert drill (four furlongs in 50.60 from the gate, 39th fastest of 40 at that distance that day). The norm for Baffert, who’s a strong 24 percent first time out, is to see a fast work right on top of the race. Still, she must be taken seriously just because of who puts on her bridle.

All four siblings are winners, including Hawk Three O Eight (4 wins, $88K).

ANOTHER SPOT FOR ANOTHER SKY

Off a smashing 5 1/4-length romp over maidens going a mile on turf here May 3, Another Sky was entered in a very tough $50K turf claimer here Saturday, a race that included gals who had stakes experience.

Trainer James Cassidy opted to scratch and go here instead. It looks like the right move. Not only is this a softer spot, but by going in this starter allowance race he does not risk losing her via a claim.

She looked super bounding clear of maidens May 3, and if that is a sign she really has turned the corner she can be a big player here. Oh, and it flattered her that the gal she easily beat back into second (Scene Queen) came right back to win.

MILLER TIME

Trainer Peter Miller is having a fine meet, and could have more success on this card. In race 4 he sends out Big Cazanova in a strong optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Big Cazanova was good enough in his native Argentina be twice second in Grade 1's there in 2012, losing both times to a horse you may know – Indy Point, who has come to the U.S. and proven top class. Big Cazanova then went to Peru, where he was disqualified from a win in a Grade 1. He came to the U.S. this spring, showed talent when third and second in a couple turf starts before whipping maidens on dirt here May 24.

In race 5 Miller has two bullets with Superboot and Super Reagan. The former, a horse he claimed for $20K off a second on dirt here May 8, was a solid second in a race like this ($40K on the hillside course) May 30 and looks like the one to beat. Super Reagan had a troubled start in his $20K dirt sprint here June 1, his first start in over six months, but ran on well to be fourth. He, too, was claimed by Miller, who doubles him in value and moves him to turf.

Race 6 gives him a couple more big shots. Fly to Freedom can flat fly early and is the one to beat in the 5 1/2-furlong dirt sprint. She came back after nearly 20 months to whip maidens in wire-to-wire fashion here April 27, and then on June 1 dueled for the lead and missed by a nose. She’s the main speed here. Miller’s other entrant, Say’s Who, has tactical speed and surely Miller won’t have them dueling.

SPOT PLAYS

Race 6

FLY TO FREEDOM (#6, 3-1) can flat sizzle. There’s other speed in here, yes, but one of those (Say’s Who) is sent out by this gal’s trainer, Peter Miller, and you can be sure Miller isn’t going to instruct the two riders to go toe-to-toe from the start. She dueled and missed by a nose in a spot like this here June 1, just her second start after nearly 20 months on the bench, so she comes here sharp and she may be able to clear early and lead them on a merry chase.