Living The Life switches surfaces for Las Cienegas

ARCADIA, Calif. – Last fall, Living The Life was pre-entered for two Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita – the Filly and Mare Sprint and the Turf Sprint. She ran on the main track in the Filly and Mare Sprint, finishing last of 10. That was the worst performance of an otherwise-successful season in which she ran in England and the United States, won half of her eight starts, and earned $458,694.

Living The Life will sprint on turf for the first time in the U.S. in Saturday’s $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside course at Santa Anita. If she wins, trainer Gary Mandella said he will not be kicking himself for running her on dirt in the Breeders’ Cup.

“If she wins impressively, she’ll prove I made the wrong kind of 50-50 call,” he said.

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Owned by Hank Nothhaft, the Irish-bred Living The Life is one of two stakes winners in a field of eight in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas, along with Go West Marie, the winner of three stakes in the last year, all for California-bred fillies and mares. The field also includes the quick mare Home Journey and Blingismything, who was second and third in two one-mile turf stakes earlier this year.

KEY CONTENDERS

Living The Life (Last 3 Beyers: 92-73-90)

◗ Living The Life was given a winter rest following the BC Filly and Mare Sprint and returned to win the Camilla Urso Stakes at six furlongs on the Tapeta track at Golden Gate Fields on March 14.

◗ The Las Cienegas will be Living The Life’s first start on turf since a six-length win in a minor race at seven furlongs in Leicester, England, in September 2013. Last year, she won the $251,000 All-Weather Filly and Mare Championship at Lingfield, England, and the Group 2 Presque Isle Masters in Pennsylvania, both on synthetic tracks.

◗ Mandella is hopeful that Living The Life can close from off the pace.

“I think the way she runs, you can envision her getting covered up,” he said. “It makes sense to try grass again instead of going in a route race.”

Go West Marie (Last 3 Beyers: 87-95-85)

◗ Go West Marie is perfect at the winter-spring meeting, having won three races, including the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint in January and the Irish O’Brien Stakes in March, both on the hillside turf course. This will be the graded stakes debut for the 4-year-old.

“Hopefully, she keeps going on,” trainer Eddie Truman said. “I think it’s a serious jump. She’s getting better all the time.”