Juveniles take to the track as $44,113 pick six carryover awaits

ARCADIA, Calif. – The first 2-year-old race of the spring meet will be run Thursday at Santa Anita, and trainer Steve Knapp is in the middle of it as usual. Knapp starts likely favorite Dream Quest in the 4 1/2-furlong sprint for California-bred maiden fillies, race 2.

The second pick six carryover ($44,113) of the meet also is up for grabs Thursday in races 4 through 9. All six races are claiming or optional-claiming events, including race 7, a turf mile that pits front-runner Sareeha against late-running comebacker Kentucky Gal.

The Thursday card is a makeup for winter meet cancellations, and though filling races is always a challenge in spring, the new season also marks the start of 2-year-old racing.

It’s a good time for Knapp. Over the past three years, his 2-year-olds have won six of the 23 juvenile races at 4 1/2 furlongs. Knapp currently trains 13 juveniles, including Dream Quest and Lihue Princess.

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“The key to these races is getting out of the gate,” Knapp said. “They’ve got to have speed, because these races are short. You’ve got to be close up or you’re not going to win.”

Dream Quest is the 9-5 second choice behind 6-5 program favorite Lihue Princess, but the prices are expected to flip. Dream Quest is quick from the gate and has outworked Lihue Princess. Dream Quest is the first runner sired by first-crop stallion Drain the Clock.

“All her works have been good. She’s done very well,” Knapp said. “As long as she breaks well, we’ve got a big shot.”

Tiago Pereira rides Dream Quest. The past three Santa Anita spring meets, favorites won 23 of 39 maiden races for 2-year-olds.

Knapp also entered Lihue Princess, by Audible.

“She’s going to run a pretty good race, but I just thought [Dream Quest] was a little bit better at this point,” Knapp said.

The 2-year-old race also includes the Ryan Hanson-trained Potica and three trained by Edwin Alvarez – She’s My Star, Thirsty Caitlin, and Pay One More Dream. Soo Bronx is listed at 30-1.

A string of longshots on Sunday produced the pick six carryover Thursday. New money is expected to exceed $250,000. The sequence begins with short prices in races 4 and 5.

Race 4 is a $5,000 claiming sprint for fillies and mares, where Los Alamitos-based Falabella opens at even money. She is the fastest on figures, in form, and drawn outside. Her trainer, Jesus Uranga, has won with 11 of his last 20 favorites in daytime races at Los Alamitos, Del Mar, and Santa Anita. Uranga also entered Gigi’s Girl and Crypto Crush.

Race 5 is a turf sprint for $25,000 claiming fillies and mares, nonwinners of two. Cloudy Women is the 6-5 favorite off a runner-up finish in a productive race at this level. Seven ran back, notching two wins, one second, and four thirds.

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Race 6, a California-bred $50,000 maiden-claiming sprint, includes one of the most attractive longshots on the card if Sunk Cost Fallacy starts close to his 8-1 morning line. He missed by less than a length last time out with a bad trip.

Sunk Cost Fallacy was hard held between runners and blocked the length of the stretch. Trained by Mike Puype, he gets a rider switch Thursday to Kazushi Kimura and can wear them down with a clean trip. The field includes second-time starters Trojan Mafia and Colonel Slade, a pair of droppers trained by Jeff Mullins.

Race 7 front-runner Sareeha is the one to catch in this second-level allowance/optional $80,000 claiming turf mile for fillies and mares. She can carry her speed around two turns and drops in class after prepping in a Grade 3 turf sprint. Mark Glatt trains Sareeha, who must hold off the rally of Kentucky Gal.

Phil D’Amato trains Kentucky Gal, who has trained exceptionally well for her comeback. She typically races farther than a mile, but her works suggest she is ready to fire. D’Amato leads the standings after two weeks with six wins from 19 starters.

Race 8 is a $10,000 claiming sprint for 3-year-old fillies, or fillies and mares, nonwinners of two. Betty Pack is the program favorite and is making her first start in a year. Only Reputation finished second last out in a $4,000 claiming race at Los Alamitos.

Race 9 is a $40,000 maiden-claiming race for fillies and mares at a mile on turf with dropper Tipitap, late-runner Winika, and program favorite Justivar.

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