Harlington's Rose will remain on dirt to prep for Las Flores
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
ARCADIA, Calif. – Harlington’s Rose became a stakes winner in her 18th start in the minor Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 28.
Trainer Steve Knapp has the goal of making the 4-year-old filly a graded stakes winner this spring, which is why he scratched Harlington’s Rose from the minor Wishing Well Stakes on turf last Sunday in favor of an optional claimer at six furlongs on dirt at Santa Anita on Thursday.
Knapp envisions the optional claimer as a prep for the $100,000 Las Flores, a Grade 3 stakes for older fillies and mares at six furlongs on March 8.
“I think this is a better spot,” Knapp said on Tuesday morning. “The reason we wanted to opt for the dirt is we’re looking at the Las Flores. We decided to stay dirt-dirt. We think it’s a better schedule for her. She’s ready to run.”
Owned by a partnership, Harlington’s Rose was third in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs on Jan. 19, her best finish in a graded stakes. She was beaten four lengths by Grade 1 winner Sam’s Sister.
Thursday’s race drew a field of six, including Magic Lily, second in an optional claimer at Los Alamitos on Dec. 20, and Tempe, unraced since winning the Ann Owens Distaff Handicap at six furlongs at Turf Paradise last April.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Tempe. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 20-3-3-2 with a $3.77 ROI over the past three years in dirt sprints following a layoff of 180 days or more. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Ramona’s Wildcat. Trainer Doug O’Neill is 55-3-9-9 with a $0.29 ROI over the past two years going route to sprint on dirt. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan