Mandella sends two favorites
ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder is a “couple weeks” away from her first morning workout of the season, trainer Richard Mandella said this week. In the meantime, the immediate matters are in the afternoon.
Mandella will start a pair of 4-year-old fillies who figure as solid favorites Friday at Santa Anita – Dreamologist in race 1, a second-level allowance turf sprint, and La Boheme in race 5, a one-mile turf race for maiden fillies and mares.
From a handicapping perspective, the Dreamologist and La Boheme races are more straightforward than the competitive race-7 feature for 3-year-old allowance fillies. The stakes-placed Treasuring, $75,000 maiden-claiming winner Everqueen, and comebackers Miss Gridley and Lemhill Basr are among the many contenders in that six-furlong sprint.
The Friday card is expected to begin with Dreamologist strongly favored while going 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. In her final two races of 2015, both routes, she set the pace and tired. Mandella decided to back her up in distance, and she won a 6 1/2-furlong allowance down the hill Jan. 16.
“We were anxious to run her 6 1/2 on turf, and she looked pretty good at that,” he said. “I’m hoping for more improvement from that.”
Dreamologist won the first-level allowance rallying from behind but could set the pace Friday due to a lack of speed among her rivals. Dreamologist will be ridden by Flavien Prat, who has teamed with Mandella to go 9 for 18 with turf favorites over the past two years.
Prat also rides the Mandella-trained maiden in race 5. La Boheme figures as one of the most probable winners on the card based on her runner-up U.S. debut.
“She ran a real nice second, and we’re hoping she improves also,” Mandella said.
The main rival for La Boheme is the likely pacesetter, Our First Girl, a runner-up in her comeback sprint three weeks ago.
There are three quality races Friday – races 1 and 5 look predictable, while race 7 is wide open.
KEY CONTENDERS
Race 1
Dreamologist, by Tapit
Last 3 Beyers: 85-81-61
◗ Produced by 2006 champion juvenile filly Dreaming of Anna, Dreamologist has won two of five starts.
◗ Prat had his hands full last out with Dreamologist, who won despite being rank and uncomfortable while rated. “I’m hoping she gets better about that,” Mandella said. “She needs to get more professional.”
◗ Rating might not be an option Friday due to an otherwise-empty pace scenario. Dreamologist could be loose on the lead.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Dreamologist. Runners from her win in January have gone 8-0-1-2 in their immediate next starts, with 6 of the 8 starters going off at odds of 5-1 or lower. Also, runners breaking from the rail have won just one race in 30 starts in downhill turf sprints at the current Santa Anita meet. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Pearl de Vere, by Songandaprayer
Last 3 Beyers: 80-80-83
◗ The “class” of the field, Pearl de Vere won at this condition (non-winners twice other than/optional $62,500 claiming) last out, first off the claim by trainer Peter Miller.
◗ Pearl de Vere has won three straight and is a downhill specialist. Five starts on the hillside course have produced three wins and two seconds.
◗ Brice Blanc takes over for Prat.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Buttercup Gold. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 6-2-1-0 with a $2.80 ROI over the past five years going dirt to turf and route to sprint at Santa Anita. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Race 5
La Boheme, by Montjeu
Beyer: 86
◗ A slow start compromised La Boheme in her U.S. debut. She rallied from next to last and finished second by a length in a race won by the pacesetter.
Our First Girl, by War Front
Beyers: 77-68
◗ Runner-up twice in turf sprints, Our First Girl is expected to set the pace under Gary Stevens as she stretches out for the first time.
◗ Our First Girl finished second at odds-on last out, after which Stevens told trainer Peter Eurton that the filly was uncomfortable with the “good” footing. The recent heat wave quickened the course and returned it to firm, which might benefit Our First Girl.
Race 7
Treasuring, by Smart Strike
Last 3 Beyers: 75-65-77
◗ The fourth-place finish by Treasuring in a Grade 2 sprint last out was better than it looks. She was shuffled back into the turn, blocked slightly in the lane, and missed by only two lengths.
◗ She is trained by Bob Baffert, who also entered Lemhill Basr.
Everqueen, by Colonel John
Last 3 Beyers: 74-49-0
◗ She crushed a $75,000 maiden-claiming sprint last out, but runner-up Wife Approved returned to finish a distant fourth in a maiden special weight race.
◗ Ron Ellis trains Everqueen.