Manhattan Jungle tries to stay perfect at meet in Angels Flight
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In her first two starts in California, Manhattan Jungle finished a fine second at a mile on turf in the Blue Norther Stakes in late December, and won as the favorite in the Sweet Life Stakes for turf sprinters in early February.
She has been equally as sharp in morning training in advance of her third start in the state in Sunday’s $100,000 Angels Flight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.
“She puts a lot into training and her works,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “It’s nice when they are like that. She enjoys being in the game.”
Manhattan Jungle seems to like the winner’s circle, too, wherever she is based.
Last year, Manhattan Jungle won her first three starts in France, including a minor stakes at five furlongs. She was later third against males in the Group 3 Prix Eclipse for sprinters in her final start in France before finishing eighth of 14 at 80-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November in her last start for trainer Amy Murphy.
In the Angels Flight Stakes, Manhattan Jungle is part of a field of six that includes Broadway Girls, who won the Blue Norther, and the well-bred Teena Ella, a sharp maiden race winner on turf Feb. 12.
Ragtime Rose and Pleasant Wave, second and sixth in the Sweet Life, and Fast and Shiny, third in the Grade 3 Santa Ynez Stakes on dirt in January, are the other runners.
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Broadway Girls has finished sixth in her last two starts, the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes on dirt and the Lady of Shamrock Stakes on turf.
Manhattan Jungle, who races for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, has often raced from a tracking position, but closed from farther back in a field of 10 to win the Sweet Life Stakes.
“I thought it was as advertised,” McCarthy said. “She’s effective at this sprint distance.”
The outlook is equally as promising for the Angels Flight.
“She’s kind of growing a little bit,” McCarthy said. “I hope to see a big race.”
Frankie Dettori rode Manhattan Jungle in the Sweet Life, but is traveling to California from Dubai on Sunday. Manhattan Jungle will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez, the leading rider at the current Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.
Hernandez was aboard Teena Ella for her maiden race win at six furlongs on turf when she closed from fourth in a field of nine to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Teena Ella will have her stakes debut in the Angels Flight and be ridden for the first time by Kazushi Kimura.
Teena Ella is by War Front and is out of the Hall of Fame mare Beholder. Teena Ella is trained by Richard Mandella, who also trained Beholder.
Teena Ella was beaten in her first two starts on dirt November and January, and was much brighter on turf.
“I had a feeling she would like it,” Mandella said. “She’s got ability.”
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