Mullins hoping Vanta can clinch Breeders' Cup spot in Surfer Girl

Vanta, unbeaten in two appearances at Del Mar during the summer, is starting in Sunday’s Grade 3 Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita out of necessity.

Vanta’s presence in the $100,000 Surfer Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at a mile on turf is designed to secure a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Oct. 30 at Keeneland.

With her win in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 6, Vanta has a good chance to be included in the 14 runners for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf. A second stakes win, and one in a graded stakes, would essentially clinch her inclusion.

“If I train up to the Breeders’ Cup, there is a 90 percent she won’t get in,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “She’s got to have a graded stakes win.”

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Mullins is concerned that fillies racing for greater prize money at other tracks in North America, or runners with impressive records from Europe, will gain more attention from Breeders’ Cup officials than a California-based runner.

“The fillies that are running on the East Coast will have more money than us,” Mullins said.

A win on Sunday would dispel that concern.

Vanta, owned by Irving Ventures and Dutch Girl Holdings, has been an exciting filly in recent months. She overcame traffic to win her debut by 1 1/4 lengths at five furlongs on turf July 31. In the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, she hopped at the start and closed from eighth of nine to win the one-mile race by 2 1/2 lengths.

Through September, Vanta showed continued progress in training.

“I can’t be happier with the way she’s training now,” said jockey Umberto Rispoli, who rode Vanta at Del Mar, has the mount on Sunday, and has been aboard for recent workouts.

“She’s doing every step correctly,” he said.

Vanta is part of seven in the $100,000 Surfer Girl, a group that includes Blockade and Less Please, who were second and fourth in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Blockade, trained by Ryan Hanson, stalked the pace and led briefly in the stretch on Sept. 6.

“She ran a big race,” Hanson said. “I hope she gets the same kind of trip.

“She’s been really good since we’ve gotten back to Santa Anita. We’re going into the race with a good feeling. Hopefully, she can step forward.”

Zuma Beach

Rispoli has an excellent chance to win the two one-mile turf stakes for 2-year-olds on Sunday when he rides Repo Man in the Grade 3 Zuma Beach Stakes.

Trained by Michael McCarthy for John and Jerry Amerman, Repo Man won a maiden race at five furlongs on turf in his first start on Aug. 27 at Del Mar, closing from fourth. Repo Man pulled away to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

Only five entered the $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes, and one of them, Off in the Corner, is entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita.

Rispoli could have chosen the McCarthy-trained Maxify, who won a maiden race at a mile on turf in his first start on Sept. 4, closing from seventh of 10.

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Rispoli said. “I think Maxify can improve a lot.”

Repo Man drew the outside post. He is by Golden Pal, who through Thursday led the nation’s first-year stallions in progeny earnings.

Rispoli said Repo Man grew stronger through his maiden race win. The colt raced briefly in traffic in early stretch.

“I think it was a very solid performance,” Rispoli said. “We thought five could be a little too short. At the beginning, I didn’t have the speed to go with them. On the turn, I felt like I had horse underneath me and I had to find a way out of there.

“He was very good when he was in the clear. He came out of the race sharp. It will be interesting to see how he does going two turns.”

The Zuma Beach field includes the filly Duty Bound, who won a maiden race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Colonial Downs in July and an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 29 at Kentucky Downs. A week later, Duty Bound was withdrawn from the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies after she spread a shoe during a van ride, trainer Jack Sisterson said.

Sisterson said the Zuma Beach was chosen over the Surfer Girl to give Duty Bound a better chance for a graded stakes win or placing. It also helps that Vanta is not in the Zuma Beach lineup.

Vanta “is very talented,” Sisterson said.

A mile is not a concern with Duty Bound.

“She’ll be fine going a mile,” Sisterson said. “She’s a versatile filly.

“She was a forward filly that could win first time out. She’ll get better as the distances go farther.”

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