Midnight Memories gets stakes tryout in Sunday allowance

The 3-year-old filly Midnight Memories had a near-perfect debut April 30 at Santa Anita. Sent off at 4-5, Midnight Memories stalked the pace, took the lead with a little more than a furlong remaining, and cruised to a win by 1 1/4 lengths in a maiden special weight race at six furlongs. She earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

The performance suggests Midnight Memories will be in stakes in coming months, but trainer Sean McCarthy has decided to first test her in an allowance race for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita. Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, Midnight Memories will be strongly favored in a field of seven. A repeat of her debut would be good enough to win.

“We thought she’d run well, but didn’t know she’d run that well,” McCarthy said Friday. “We’re certainly optimistic, but we’re facing winners for the first time.”

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Leading rider Juan Hernandez was aboard Midnight Memories on April 30 and has the mount Sunday. Hernandez probably will have Midnight Memories in a tracking position on the backstretch.

“She’ll get a little test,” McCarthy said. “You would expect the same sort of trip. She shouldn’t be very far off of it.”

As for stakes, those can be planned following this race, McCarthy said.

“This race on Sunday will tell a lot in regards to that,” McCarthy said. “I don’t see any reason why she shouldn’t progress.”

Sunday’s allowance race is a delayed second start for My Kentucky Girl, who won her debut April 2 at Santa Anita with an impressive rally from off the pace. Trained by Jonathan Wong, My Kentucky Girl was the morning-line favorite in the California Oaks on April 30 at Golden Gate Fields, but was withdrawn after she fell on her side in the saddling area.

A frustrated Wong described the incident as minor at the time.

“She should have won that day,” he said. “Bad luck.”

Ricky Gonzalez was aboard My Kentucky Girl on April 2 and has the mount Sunday. Gonzalez is likely to have My Kentucky Girl toward the back of the field early.

“I think my filly has a good shot,” Wong said. “She’s training really good. We’ll let it set up in front of us.”

There also will be support for Musica, a 4-year-old who drew the outside post.

Trained by Mark Glatt, Musica is quick enough to lead. She was beaten a nose by McCarthy-trained Ganadora in a race at this level at 6 1/2 furlongs on April 10 after leading by two lengths in the stretch.

The allowance race is the leading race on a nine-race program Sunday. The $75,000 Desert Code Stakes for 3-year-olds at six furlongs on turf did not draw sufficient entries and was canceled, track officials said.