Laulne takes it to next level in Senorita

The already lofty expectations surrounding the 3-year-old Laulne were raised April 7, when the filly rallied to win her 2024 debut in the Angels Flight Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Jockey Antonio Fresu told trainer Phil D’Amato after the race that Laulne would be even better in her second start of the year, which will occur in Sunday’s Grade 3 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

“I remember him specifically saying that she would improve a lot,” D’Amato said Thursday. “Hopefully, he’s right.

“I think that race did her a world of good. She was just finding her stride late and figuring things out.”

Laulne closed from fourth in the final three furlongs to win the Angels Flight by a nose over Alluring, who also is part of a field of eight in the $100,000 Senorita. As with the Angels Flight, the Senorita is run at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course for 3-year-old fillies.

Aside from Alluring, Girl of My Dreams, and Antifona, who were second through fourth in the Angels Flight, the list of contenders includes Rascality, who won her 3-year-old debut with a sharp effort in a six-furlong maiden race on turf in February, and Flattery, winner of the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile last September.

Laulne, who races for the partnership of Madaket Stables, Panic Stable, Gerard Augustin-Normand, Robert LaPenta, and William Strauss, was a Group 3 winner in the Prix Six Perfections at about seven furlongs at Deauville, France, last July.

Laulne finished 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita last November in her American debut.

This summer, D’Amato envisions starting Laulne in two-turn races at Del Mar, notably the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf in July, to see how she handles a longer distance.

This weekend, the lure of another turf sprint is too strong.

“Timing-wise and judging from the way she won down the hill, it’s a nice graded stakes a month out from the last,” he said. “Since she ran so well down the hill, it would be foolish to pass up a race like this.”

Flattery will start in her first sprint in the Senorita. She has not raced since she finished 12th in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“I don’t know if it’s her gig,” trainer Peter Eurton said of Sunday’s distance. “I like milers on the downhill that have natural speed and are real quick. She’s got a good turn of foot, but I wouldn’t call her fast.

“She’s acting very well. She’s very sharp and very lively.”

Alluring stalked Girl of My Dreams in the Angels Flight before losing by a nose. Trainer Richard Mandella is hoping for a similar patient trip on Sunday for Alluring.

“We hope to get the same race back,” he said.

Rascality could be part of the pace in her stakes debut. The February win was her first start on turf.

“She ran like we thought she would,” Mandella said. “She’s quick and likes to get into the race. The turf seemed to help her a lot.”