Lifeline looks solid in return to turf

ARCADIA, Calif. – Part two of Lifeline’s career begins Sunday in a first-level allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at Santa Anita.

Several elements are in place for a winning race from the impeccably bred Lifeline, who is by leading sire Tapit out of Life Is Sweet, the winner of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic, now known as the Distaff.

Lifeline will start at 1 1/8 miles on turf, his preferred surface, and has a strong foundation of recent workouts. Lifeline needs to run on turf, trainer Richard Mandella said. Sunday’s race will be the first for Lifeline since he finished a well-beaten fourth here last April in his only start on dirt.

“I hope I’ve got him fit enough,” Mandella said Friday morning. “He wants to get on the turf. He’s training good, but he only gives you so much on the dirt.”

There are no stakes on Sunday’s nine-race program at Santa Anita. There are two divisions of the optional claimer – the first and seventh races.

Race 1

Mongolian Greywolf, third in allowance races on turf at Kentucky Downs and Keeneland last fall, will have his California debut for owner and trainer Enebish Ganbat, who has a stable at Santa Anita for the first time this winter.

A 4-year-old colt, Mongolian Greywolf was beaten 3 1/2 lengths in a mile race at Keeneland on Oct. 27, his last start. Sunday’s race will be the longest of his career.

“I like the longer race,” Ganbat said.

The distance should suit Eldritch, who finished 12th, beaten five lengths, in his U.S. debut, which came at a mile in a Del Mar optional claimer on Nov. 25.

In England last year, Eldritch won a minor handicap at 1 5/16 miles at Doncaster for trainer John Gosden.

“I expect a lot of improvement out of the horse,” current trainer Mark Glatt said. “Hopefully, he can break a little sharper and be more forwardly placed. He’s put on weight.”

Mandella starts Saltini, who finished fourth in the same race as Eldritch in November.

“It looks like he wants farther than a mile,” Mandella said.

Race 7

Lifeline, owned by breeders Pam and Marty Wygod, has had three starts. The colt won a maiden race at 1 1/8 miles on turf against 3-year-olds last April in his second start. Lifeline was diagnosed with a bone chip in a knee after a fourth-place finish on April 29.

“I thought he was a good horse last year when he ran on the turf,” Mandella said.

Sunday’s race will be the first start against winners for Avalanche, a colt by Mizzen Mast who won a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 3 in his fifth career start. The longer race Sunday should suit Avalanche, trainer John Sadler said.

“We’ll see where he goes,” Sadler said. “He ran a nice race last time.”