Howin drops in class, takes on older rivals

Three weeks after she finished a game second in the Grade 3 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita, Howin will race against older fillies and mares for the first time in a Sunday allowance race at a mile at Los Alamitos.

The race ends a streak of three stakes appearances for Howin since she won a maiden race last October.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Charles and Susan Chu’s Baoma Corp., Howin is part of a field of six in the day’s first race and is the lone 3-year-old filly in the lineup.

“She ran well last time,” Baffert said Friday. “She’s still very immature and growing.”

Howin won as a stalker last October and set the pace in the Summertime Oaks before she was caught by stablemate Cash Call, the 1-2 favorite. On Sunday, Howin will be prominent early and could have company from Illhaveanotherkiss or Issa Court, who were both beaten on turf at Santa Anita in their last starts.

Howin, who figures to be a short price, is the only stakes-placed runner in the field. Drayden Van Dyke, who was aboard in the Summertime Oaks, retains the mount.

“I figure I’ll be on the lead, or second or third,” Van Dyke said. “I’ll gauge the break and see if anyone wants to get silly and go to the lead.”

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Van Dyke was aboard Howin for a half-mile in 48.80 seconds on Thursday at Santa Anita.

While Howin is the youngster in the first race, Over Attracted is the senior member of an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs in the seventh race.

An 8-year-old mare, Over Attracted is coming off wins in two turf sprints at Santa Anita since early May, a $32,000 claimer and a starter allowance.

The change in surface is not a concern for trainer Leonard Powell, who watched Over Attracted finish a fast-closing second after a troubled trip in an allowance race at Los Alamitos last September.

“She’s shown good form in the morning,” Powell said. “She looks very healthy and she doesn’t act her age.”

Hector Berrios rides Over Attracted, replacing Armando Ayuso, who was already booked to ride another contender in the field in Sugar Hi, Powell said. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Sugar Hi closed steadily to finish third in her California debut in a six-furlong allowance race on dirt May 30 at Santa Anita.

Sugar Hi was previously trained by Bill Mott. In 2023, Sugar Hi was the six-length winner of a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga, her only win in six starts.

Over Attracted and Sugar Hi are part of a field of eight that includes the Powell-trained Dontellourwives, who closed from fifth of eight to win a maiden race at six furlongs by a nose on May 10 at Santa Anita.

Dontellourwives, Over Attracted, and Sugar Hi are likely to be in pursuit of Mirinda and Velocious, who are quick enough to lead.

“There should be a good pace,” Powell said. “I like both of my fillies in there.”

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