Just Distorted worth watching – and perhaps betting – in debut

ARCADIA, Calif. – Some horses take longer to get started than others, including a pair of well-regarded first-time starters Friday at Santa Anita on a card that could be labelled “Maiden Race Friday” – six of the eight races are for maidens.

The imposing 5-year-old Wilson Monk makes his long-awaited debut in race 2, a sprint for older California-bred maidens. Although the inside post presents a challenge for a gelding that stands nearly 17 hands, Wilson Monk might be good enough to overcome the draw.

:: Get Brad Free’s Betting Strategies for Saturday’s card at Santa Anita

Anticipation also is building for Just Distorted, a 3-year-old filly making her career debut in race 6. She might be a step slow from the gate, but she is fast. And if she runs as well as she trains, Just Distorted will be tough first time out.

Friday’s program includes trivial maiden-claiming miles that bookend the card, races 1 and 8. Quality ticks higher between, with Wilson Monk, Just Distorted, stakes-placed Warrens Candy Girl facing California-bred maiden fillies in race 3, and Bob Daniels facing California-bred maiden 3-year-olds in race 5.

Wilson Monk began training in 2018 as a 2-year-old, worked 11 times and was sidelined. In 2019, after six works, he was shelved again. In winter 2020, seven more works and another layoff. Wilson Monk is now 5.

“I’ve had him the whole time,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

The setbacks were due to a variety of reasons.

“Sometimes it would be mental issues, sometimes it would be physical issues,” he said. “We took an enormous amount of time to get him to 100 percent.”

At nearly 17 hands, Wilson Monk, owned and bred by Nick Alexander, is a beast.

“He’s a big, giant horse – he’s huge,” D’Amato said. “And he’s got the one-hole first time out. From the rail, with his size, he’d need everything to go right. But he’s definitely a horse with some quality.”

In fact, Wilson Monk has trained exceptionally well. Ricky Gonzalez rides the gelding, who would be the first horse this meet to win a six-furlong dirt race from the inside post. The rail is 0 for 41. Wilson Monk’s rivals include comebacking second-time starter Luck Is Golden and back-to-back runner-up Scary Fast Smile.

Race-3 favorite Warrens Candy Girl meets stretch-out Big Beauty at a mile on turf. Warrens Candy Girl finished a troubled second last out in the California Cup Oaks after getting bogged down in traffic on the far turn and into the lane. It was the best performance of her career, though also her fourth straight runner-up finish. Warrens Candy Girl adds Lasix, switches to jockey Abel Cedillo, and will be among the most well-bet runners Friday.

Race 5 is a six-furlong sprint in which contenders include tough-trip Bob Daniels and first-time starters Thrive and I’ll Stand Taller. Bob Daniels lost all chance at the break on turf last out. He stumbled badly, lost position, rallied to midpack, and finished sixth as the 2-1 second choice.

Bob Daniels returns to dirt Friday and might be the one to catch. Thrive worked a fast half-mile from the gate Feb. 14. I’ll Stand Taller also appears to have trained well. He walked out of the gate in a team drill Feb. 13, but came back with a faster gate work Feb. 20.

Race 6 is the race of the day. Three of the four firsters face obstacles at six furlongs. Ginja has worked well for Bob Baffert, but drew the rail. Soothsay has worked fast, but trainer Richard Mandella said she “probably will need one.” Marzanna appears to have worked okay, but she is by low-percentage debut stallion Frosted, whose progeny are 4 for 66 first out.

:: Enhance your handicapping with DRF’s Santa Anita Clocker Report

Just Distorted, meanwhile, enters with high expectations for trainer Jonathan Wong and assistant Kristin Mulhall. Wong, based in Northern California, said Just Distorted sent early signals to owners Tom and Debi Stull of Tommy Town Thoroughbreds that she belonged in Southern California.

“They’ve liked this filly from Day 1,” Wong said. “The hope was she would be good enough to run” in Southern California.

Just Distorted, a $400,000 yearling by Distorted Humor, debuts with a series of solid Santa Anita workouts, including a bullet gate work last Sunday under Gonzalez. Wong was on hand for the work.

“She’s a really fast filly, but she’s not the quickest away from the gate – like a half-step slow,” he said. “But she’s really quick. She’s got gas.”

Gonzalez has worked Just Distorted multiple times. Wong said the filly’s exercise riders all say “she doesn’t feel like she’s going as fast as she’s going.”

“She just does it easy,” Wong said. “Hopefully, she can show it in the afternoon.”

Bet on it. Just Distorted enters as most probable winner on the Friday card.