Li'l Grazen teams up with Prat, Miller in Sunday feature

The mare Li’l Grazen and top jockey Flavien Prat were a perfect team at the 2020 Del Mar summer meeting, winning two California-bred allowance races in as many starts.

Li’l Grazen was entered by trainer Peter Miller to be claimed for $20,000 in the optional claiming condition of those races and was taken by trainer Manuel Ortiz in the second of her wins at Del Mar last August. Four races later, on March 5, Miller claimed the 7-year-old mare again.

Li’l Grazen, Prat, and Miller will team for the first time since August in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs on Sunday at Santa Anita. Once again, Li’l Grazen is eligible to be claimed for $20,000. She was third in a race with similar conditions last month when claimed by Miller.

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Miller cautioned Friday that Li’l Grazen has not trained as well in recent weeks as she did last year.

“She doesn’t seem quite like the same filly,” he said. “We’re hoping she can be competitive. She’s not training as good as before.

“It’s the right spot that she fits in. Hopefully, she runs better than she’s training.”

Li’l Grazen is part of a field of nine and drew post 8.

Kleen Karma and Little Miss Ellie can play leading roles with their best effort.

Kleen Karma won her debut in a $50,000 claimer for California-bred maidens on dirt in January 2020, but has raced on turf in her last eight starts. Trained by Craig Lewis, Kleen Karma was second in an allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on turf on Jan. 31.

Little Miss Ellie was third in an allowance race for California-bred fillies and mares at seven furlongs on Jan. 31 when ridden by Prat. She was second in a $50,000 claimer for maidens at this distance at Del Mar last July. Kent Desormeaux has the mount for the first time Sunday.

Sunday’s nine-race program consists entirely of races on the main track. Santa Anita did not race on Friday and held only dirt races this weekend to allow the turf course a mid-season rest. After Sunday’s program, racing resumes Saturday, April 17. There is limited turf racing on April 17-18.

There are four stakes on the weekend of April 17-18, led by the Grade 2 Californian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the main track for older horses. The $200,000 Californian is a prep race for the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup on May 31.