Living the Life trying to make hay on Polytrack
DEL MAR, Calif. – Living the Life is a synthetic specialist, and the time is growing shorter for horses such as her to be appropriate for racing in Southern California.
“We’ve got to take advantage while it lasts,” said her trainer, Gary Mandella.
Polytrack will be removed from Del Mar after its inaugural fall meeting in November. After that, main track racing in Southern California will be all dirt, all the time. Perhaps Living the Life will make that transition, but her aptitude on synthetic is known, and there will be several opportunities in coming weeks and in November at Del Mar for her to capitalize, beginning Thursday.
Living the Life will make her first start in North America in Thursday’s featured seventh race, a six-furlong optional claimer for older fillies and mares. Eleven were entered, with three in for a claiming tag of $62,500.
Although Living the Life owns five wins in 19 starts, she won such little money in three handicap victories overseas that she still is eligible for a second-level allowance condition, which she’s using.
“We’ve been waiting for this,” Mandella said. “She came in a few months ago, so she could have run at Santa Anita, but she’s proven on synthetic, still had this allowance condition, and is eligible for the Ship and Win bonus here. It just made sense to wait.”
Indeed, with the Ship and Win bonus, this $80,000 race, worth $48,000 to the winner, would result in a payday of more than $60,000 for Living the Life should she win.
In her final start in Great Britain before traveling to California, Living the Life won an all-weather stakes race at Lingfield, beating 13 fillies. Two starts prior, she beat males. To prevail on Thursday, she’ll have to beat the likes of Senza Fina and Journey On, who are unbeaten on Del Mar’s main track.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Living the Life. Trainer Gary Mandella is 3 for 14 with a $7.10 ROI over the past two years in sprints following a layoff of between 61 and 180 days.Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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KEY CONTENDERS
Living the Life (Beyers: N/A)
◗ Both of her victories earlier this year were at seven furlongs. The shorter distance of this race is of concern to her trainer. “If I have any hesitation over the race, it’s the distance,” Mandella said. “I think she might be better at seven furlongs or a mile. She’s trained really well since she’s been here.”
Senza Fina (Last 3 Beyers: 84-73-83)
◗ In her first start at Del Mar, she won a first-level allowance on July 20. She’s now 2 for 2 on synthetic surfaces, having scored against maiden claimers at Hollywood Park in December.
Journey On (Last 3 Beyers: 88-84-86)
◗ She’s an intriguing turn-back play, having been freshened since April after going long on turf in three straight races, including a stakes.
◗ In her only sprint at Del Mar, she crushed maiden claimers with the best Beyer figure of her career, a 91, earned last summer. Martin Pedroza has ridden her to all four of her wins, and he’s reunited with her for this race.
Clearly Confused (Last 3 Beyers 71-84-86)
◗ Didn’t fire, and likely was overmatched, in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. at Los Alamitos last time out, but her two prior races – both since being claimed by Richard Baltas – would rank her as a leading candidate.
◗ She won an allowance at Santa Anita in May when ridden by returning Rafael Bejarano.
◗ There looks to be ample speed to flatter her late run.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Clearly Confused. Trainer Richard Baltas is 3 for 8 with a $7.49 ROI over the past two years going from dirt to synthetic in sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan