Lily Pod getting better and better
CYPRESS, Calif. – The speedy filly Lily Pod is slowly learning to show patience in races. With that, Lily Pod has run the best two races of her career this fall.
A 3-year-old filly, Lily Pod won a maiden race at six furlongs at Santa Anita in October and was second in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 14.
Lily Pod is back on the main track in an optional claimer at six furlongs at Los Alamitos on Sunday. Trainer Richard Baltas has confidence Lily Pod can win for the second time in her sixth start.
“I don’t how good she is, but she’s very good,” he said.
KEY CONTENDERS
Lily Pod (Last 3 Beyers: 81-83-71)
◗ Lily Pod has finished in the top three in all five of her starts and has led or disputed the pace in every start. In the maiden race win, she drew off by five lengths in early stretch and won by 3 1/2 lengths under jockey Mario Gutierrez, who has the mount on Sunday.
“She’s got a lot of natural speed,” Baltas said. “Getting her to relax is the main thing. Before she was going straight to the front and dying in the stretch.”
◗ In the optional claimer on turf, Lily Pod fought for the lead through a wide trip and was beaten a half-length by Radiant Journey.
“I don’t think she cared for the turf, but she ran a good race anyway,” Baltas said. “She was stuck wide.”
◗ Lily Pod has drawn the outside post in a field of 10. Gutierrez did not ride Lily Pod on turf, and the jockey’s return on the filly is considered a positive by Baltas.
“Mario can sit there and watch the race unfold,” Baltas said. “She’ll put herself in the race and Mario can adjust from there. Hopefully, she can move on.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Lily Pod. Trainer Richard Baltas is 16-5-2-2 with a $2.71 ROI over the past two years going turf to dirt in sprints with fewer than 45 days since the prior start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Purrfect Diva (last 3 Beyers: 68-60-58)
◗ Purrfect Diva joined trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s stable after a second-place finish in an allowance race at Churchill Downs on Sept. 27. Previously trained by Kellyn Gorder, Purrfect Diva won her debut at Indiana Downs in August.
◗ Purrfect Diva races near the front and has not been worse than third in her three starts.
“She’s been training very well,” Hollendorfer said. “She’s done everything we’ve asked her to.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Purrfect Diva. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 31-4-7-6 with a $1.03 ROI over the past five years in dirt sprints in Southern California in the first start following a trainer switch. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Bad Ju Ju (last 3 Beyers: 72-32-77)
◗ Bad Ju Ju won consecutive races against California-breds at Santa Anita last winter, but struggled in the spring, finishing 12th in the Evening Jewel Stakes and fourth in a $75,000 claimer. Sunday’s race will be the first for the quick Bad Ju Ju since May.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 On Golden Pawn. Trainer Marty Jones is 20-5-0-4 with a $3.06 ROI over the past two years going synthetic to dirt in sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan