Heart Headed, bought for $135,000 at auction last November, may turn out to be a steal for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler. After a win in a starter allowance on dirt at Santa Anita in his California debut in January, Heart Headed finished a game second by a head in the Baffle Stakes on the hillside turf course in February in his first start on the surface. The narrow loss leaves Heart Headed as the favorite in Sunday’s $100,000 John Shear Stakes for 3-year-olds at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside course. :: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports The Shear Stakes is the fifth race on an 11-race program that begins at 1 p.m. Pacific and includes the $100,000 Angels Flight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course. Stakes winners Antifona, Laulne, and Zona Verde lead a field of nine in the Angels Flight, the ninth race. Sunday is the final day of the winter-spring portion of the track’s marathon meeting. There is no racing at Santa Anita next weekend before the start of the spring season on April 19. In the Baffle, Heart Headed was beaten by Stay Hot, who returned to win his third consecutive turf race in the Pasadena Stakes at a mile on turf in March. Heart Headed closed from slightly off the pace to reach contention in the final furlong. Jockey Juan Hernandez, who has the mount on Sunday, said after the Baffle that Heart Headed handled the unique course “like a pro.” The Shear drew a field of seven, all seeking their first stakes wins. Aside from Heart Headed, Charge for Gold, Miracle Mark, and Raging Torrent have finished second or third in stakes. While those runners have significant experience, the Shear will be the second start for Practically Broke, the winner of a maiden race at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar in November. Trained by Mark Glatt, Practically Broke was considered for the Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita in late December, but was sidelined by illness. “It took him a bit to get just right,” Glatt said. Glatt said weather-related issues in recent months have affected Practically Broke’s preparation. Practically Broke showed speed in his debut, but Glatt said the colt is not reliant on that racing style. “I didn’t think he would show the speed that he did in his debut, which is usually a good thing when they show more speed than you expect,” Glatt said. “I don’t think he has to be a front-runner to be successful. My expectation is he won’t be in front of those horses. I think he’ll be just off of it. “He sure ran very professionally in his debut. He’s lacking in experience compared to most in the race. That’s a factor when you take a step up in company.” Charge for Gold, who set the pace in the Baffle before finishing third, could set the pace again in the Shear. Angels Flight Stakes Zona Verde won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on turf at Del Mar in November, but is winless in three turf stakes tries at Santa Anita since late December. Zona Verde finished second to the Sadler-trained Antifona in the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course in February. Zona Verde and Antifona were later second and third behind the impressive Medoro in the China Doll Stakes at a mile on turf March 10. For Zona Verde, distance is not an issue, trainer Phil D’Amato said. “I think she’s one of the utility players,” he said. Antifona chased a scorching pace when she won the Sweet Life Stakes in a 10-1 upset. In the Angels Flight, the recent maiden race winners Avoir and Rascality, and Girl of My Dreams who faded from the front in the Sweet Life, are expected to be near the front. The Angels Flight is the 3-year-old debut of Laulne, who finished 10th of 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile in November in her American debut. Laulne won three turf sprints in France, including a Group 3 at the prestigious Deauville summer meeting last July, and was later second and third in two group-level races in that country. Antonio Fresu rides Laulne. “We’re going to try her down the hill to see if she likes this configuration,’ D’Amato said. “I thought it would be a good race to get her started and then stretch her out. I think I have her fit and ready to go. “I think she’s a tactical filly and can sit a handy trip. I can leave it up to Antonio to figure out a trip.” :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.