Most Beautiful stretches out to mile for Pago Hop
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
Most Beautiful definitely has the quality to win the $75,000 Pago Hop Stakes on Saturday at Fair Grounds. The question is whether she has the stamina.
Most Beautiful, an English-bred import from Ireland, has raced twice in the U.S., and in her most recent race finished a fine third to some solid older horses in the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes at Santa Anita. But that race came going 6 1/2 furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course, and Most Beautiful will be making her two-turn debut in her 12th career start when she runs in the one-mile Pago Hop for 3-year-old fillies.
As a very late-season age-restricted stakes, the Pago Hop, drew horses from all over the country, and is an appealing betting race on a generally appealing 11-race card that includes two other open stakes, the Woodchopper and the Pan Zareta, and two divisions of the Louisiana Futurity. First post is the standard 1:25 p.m. Central.
Mom’s On Strike, who would have been among the favorites for the Pago Hop, was not shipped from New York, owing to a recent equine herpesvirus positive at Fair Grounds, and will be scratched from the race, trainer Joe Sharp said.
“I’m sure that situation is going to be resolved quickly, but why take a chance if you don’t have to with a good horse?,” Sharp said.
Most Beautiful, trained by Tom Proctor, is by the miler Canford Cliffs. She went as far as seven furlongs overseas, and if she settles has a good chance of getting the trip Saturday behind what should be a very lively tempo.
Among the pace elements are the two shortest prices on the morning line, favored Believe in Bertie and second-choice Gianna’s Dream. Believe in Bertie also was entered in a Fair Grounds allowance race next week, but trainer Brad Cox said the Pago Hop is her intended spot.
Believe In Bertie finished fourth in the $200,000 Pebbles Stakes two starts ago after setting strong factions and holding admirably for fourth, and in a recent Fair Grounds start she totally dominated Louisiana-breds. But Cox has made it clear: Believe In Bertie really has no off switch. She likes to run freely, and will not find it as easy to finish off this group after going fast as she did the Louisiana-breds.
Gianna’s Dream is another in an amazingly long list of horses claimed by Mike Maker and turned into stakes-class performances. Gianna’s Dream, claimed for $25,000 in August, exits a good third-place finish in the $125,000 Winter Memories at Aqueduct. She rates better than Believe In Bertie and could take up a position just off the early lead Saturday.
Kathballu vulnerable favorite in Pan Zareta
Kathballu, a five-time winner, is the most accomplished horse in the $50,000 Pan Zareta Stakes – but not at the race’s six-furlong distance.
The Ken McPeek-trained 4-year-old Kathballu exits an eight-length win in the restricted Orleans Stakes at Delta Downs, but that race came at one mile and around two turns. Kathballu has run to her best form before going seven furlongs, but at six furlongs she has just one third from three tries, which would be easier to take were Kathballu not a likely odds-on favorite under Florent Geroux.
The 3-year-old filly D R C’s Pretty Sky would be an appealing alternative at close to her 9-2 morning-line odds. Six furlongs probably is her best distance, and she comes off a game win in the Zia Distaff over Wheatfield, an eye-catching winner of the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint in her most recent race.