Mullins believes Glitter City can rate

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Glitter City could not have looked any better than she did winning a five-furlong maiden race on June 15. She dueled for the lead and won by two lengths in track-record time of 56.74 seconds, leaving trainer Jeff Mullins elated.

Glitter City followed that performance with a half-mile workout on Tuesday in company under jockey Martin Garcia, leaving Mullins more confident of her ability when she makes her stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park.

The final time of the four-furlong work - 49.40 seconds - was not really fast, but Mullins was delighted by the style she showed.

"I kind of put her in behind a horse," Mullins said. "I let Martin work her and he's got really good hands. He's good at letting a horse settle. We wanted to work her and let Martin become comfortable that he can rate her."

Such a style could be important in the six-furlong Landaluce, which has drawn a field of eight 2-year-old fillies. Glitter City, who is owned by Murray Smith, could take the early lead, but can stalk the pace, too, Mullins said.

"As long as they're not stupid up front, I don't care," Mullins said. "If they get rolling, we can take a hold of her."

Mullins says he has a strong group of 2-year-old fillies this year, and rates Glitter City at the top of the list - for now.

To stay there, she has to beat two other notable fillies in the Landaluce - Cosmic Queen and Trifecta King. Cosmic Queen won her debut in a maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs in 50.72 seconds on May 15. Trainer Christopher Paasch has pointed Cosmic Queen to the Landaluce since then, to give her time to

recover from her race.

"I can't imagine what they're thinking the first time out of the gate," Paasch said. "With all the guys hollering, they must think the bogeyman is chasing them.

"She has a good mind. She stood in the winner's circle without a drop of sweat on her. She walked around like a 5-year-old that had done it 20 times."

Trifecta King finished second to Cosmic Queen and returned 10 days later to win the Cinderella Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs, the first stakes of the season for 2-year-old fillies.

Earlier in the week, trainer Doug O'Neill said Trifecta King would pass the Landaluce in favor of the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar. O'Neill eased back from that position on Thursday after talking with the partnership that owns the filly. He said Trifecta King's owners would prefer the race even more if it were graded.

"Talking to the boys, they're not super crazy about taking on Mullins and Paasch," O'Neill said.

Barbecue Eddie gets Bing Crosby prep

Barbecue Eddie, fourth in the $2 million Golden Shaheen Stakes in Dubai in March, starts in a seven-furlong optional claimer in Saturday's eighth race.

Trainer Brian Koriner said that Barbecue Eddie is prepping for the $300,000 Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar on July 27.

"He's in there because he needs a race," Koriner said. "It's not a priority."

Barbecue Eddie has won 2 of 9 starts and $268,950. In the Golden Shaheen, he was near the front early, but faded to finish five lengths behind fellow American invader Benny the Bull.

Barbecue Eddie has yet to win a stakes, but was second in the Grade 3 El Conejo and Grade 2 Palos Verdes handicaps at Santa Anita earlier this year.

Sale changes Santa Teresita's target race

The improving 4-year-old filly Santa Teresita, who would have been one of the favorites Sunday in the Grade 2 Beverly Hills Handicap, has been sold privately to Southern Equine Stable and transferred from trainer David Hofmans to Eric Guillot.

The transaction was completed Wednesday, according to Guillot, who said Santa Teresita would be redirected to the Grade 2, $1 million Delaware Handicap, a 1 1/4-mile race on July 13. According to Guillot, Michael Moreno's Southern Equine bought Santa Teresita from Equine Prep Management for $1.5 million.

"Her race record looks like it's getting better, and she's a big, strong thing," Guillot said.

Santa Teresita, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, has won 3 of 8 and earned $183,130. In her most recent start, May 31, she finished second to Zenyatta in the Grade 2 Milady Handicap.

Santa Teresita was nominated to the $150,000 Beverly Hills on Sunday, but "why run for $150,000?" Guillot said, explaining the decision to run 1 1/4 miles at Delaware. "How often does a $1 million race for fillies and mares come up? The farther, the better."

- additional reporting by Brad Free