Miss Bigly returns, makes first start for D'Amato

When Miss Bigly last started, at Churchill Downs in May, she finished a well-beaten third in an allowance race to Monomoy Girl, who was at the start of a season that led to her being named the 2020 champion older female on dirt. Miss Bigly was later transferred from trainer Michelle Lovell to Phil D’Amato in California.

Miss Bigly will have her Santa Anita debut in an allowance race for fillies and mares at six furlongs on Sunday. Considering D’Amato’s record with recent additions to the stable, Miss Bigly rates an excellent chance to record the fifth win of her career in her 16th start.

From Nov. 1 through Thursday, D’Amato won with 5 of 20 runners having their first starts for his stable.

The allowance race drew a very good field of five. Miss Bigly, owned by Agave Racing and Rocking Robin Racing Stable, starts from the outside post, her first appearance in a sprint since she finished last of eight after a wide trip in an allowance race at about 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Fair Grounds in January 2020. Miss Bigly won an allowance race at a mile and 70 yards at Fair Grounds last February.

“She’s trained like a good horse,” D’Amato said. “I think it’s a question of what’s she best at. This is a good starting point or her.”

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D’Amato said he was impressed by Miss Bigly’s five-furlong workout in 1:00.20 from the gate Monday. Sunday, Umberto Rispoli rides Miss Bigly. D’Amato envisions a stalking trip.

“The way she trains in the morning she’s pretty sharp,” he said. “She’s got a good post. Umberto can see what is going on to his inside.”

The other four fillies and mares have solid credentials. Acting Out, who drew the rail, won consecutive allowance races at Del Mar and Los Alamitos in November and December, but was last of six in the Kalookan Queen Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 10. Acting Out is likely to set the pace and will be closely pursued by Hotitude, who was second to Acting Out at Los Alamitos in December and won an allowance race on Jan. 10 at Santa Anita.

The allowance race marks the comebacks of the stakes winner Quality Response and stakes-placed Edgeway.

Quality Response won the restricted Phone Chatter Stakes at Los Alamitos as a 2-year-old in September 2019, but was fourth in her only start of 2020 in an allowance race at Del Mar in September.

Edgeway was second in the Grade 3 Dogwood Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on June 6 at Churchill Downs, finishing 2 1/4 lengths behind Four Graces.

Owned by Pete and Kosta Hronis, Edgeway has won 2 of 4 starts, with both wins at Oaklawn Park last year in a maiden special weight and an allowance race. Edgeway will have her California debut Sunday.

“We gave her a little time when she came back from Kentucky,” trainer John Sadler said. “We gave her 90 days off to get her ready for her 4-year-old campaign. She’s a very good prospect and does not have a bad race on her form.

“We’ve got a good chance.”