Koriner happy with Grinningeartoear coming into Thursday race

CYPRESS, Calif. – Grinningeartoear is the least experienced of the nine California-bred fillies and mares in an allowance race with a $20,000 claiming option at 5 1/2 furlongs Thursday at Los Alamitos.

Fourth in her debut here on July 6, Grinningeartoear won a maiden race for statebred fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 13 in her only other start. Since that victory, trainer Brian Koriner says Grinningeartoear has changed in a positive way.

“Her works have been better and better,” Koriner said last weekend. “She bled when she ran in her first race. Since then, she’s been doing well. Her dirt works at Santa Anita have been exceptional.

“She should run well.”

Owned by a large partnership that includes Blinkers On Racing, Grinningeartoear worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds at Santa Anita on Nov. 30 and a half-mile last Friday in 47.60 seconds.

In her maiden race win on turf, Grinningeartoear was always near the front and won by a half-length as the 7-5 favorite. She set the pace for the first five furlongs of her debut before fading from contention. Rafael Bejarano was aboard for those races but is traveling to Peru this week to visit family. Abel Cedillo has the mount Thursday on 3-year-old Grinningeartoear.

Two other runners in the optional claimer won their last start – Time for Suzzie in a $32,000 claimer at six furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 5, her fourth win in 10 starts this year, and Sunrise Royale in an optional claimer for statebred fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 30. Sunrise Royale, who is capable of setting the pace, is entered for a $20,000 claiming price on Thursday.

Time for Suzzie, who is trained by Vladimir Cerin, has earned $94,791 this year, slightly more than Violette Szabo, who was second in an optional claimer for statebred fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 26.

Trained by Phil D’Amato for owner and breeder Nick Alexander, Violette Szabo was third in the Fleet Treat Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita in June. Violette Szabo’s second-place finish in October was her best result since a win in a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita in April.

D’Amato said last weekend that he intended to give Violette Szabo a start at the Del Mar autumn meeting in November, but that an opportunity did not materialize.

“Unfortunately, we sat out the whole Del Mar meet for a race that never went,” he said. “She’s a big, pretty filly that once we figure out what she wants to do she’s got forward movement in her.”

Violette Szabo was fourth by a length in an optional claimer at Los Alamitos on Sept. 14. The last two races have left D’Amato encouraged.

“She ran a good race at Los Al,” he said. “She ran a good race on grass in her last start.”