New Heat brings late kick to turf allowance

New Heat, the 5-year-old California-bred mare, gives her backers fits. New Heat typically breaks slowly, but has repeatedly shown the ability to finish well through the final quarter-mile.

“It’s just her,” trainer Anthony Saavedra said. “I’m not worried about it. These mares that run down the stretch, they get mad at you if you try to move them down the backstretch.”

New Heat’s late kick has led to three wins in 14 career starts. She has an excellent chance to improve that record when she starts in an allowance race at a mile on turf Sunday at Santa Anita. The nine-race program is the final day of live racing at Santa Anita until April 30, with the track taking a week off on the weekend of April 22-24.

New Heat was second in a similar allowance race at 1 1/8 miles on turf March 20 at 14-1, closing from last of nine to finish 2 3/4 lengths behind Park Avenue, who was second earlier this year in the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes on dirt.

“We had a lot of confidence going in,” Saavedra said. “We ran second and we felt like we won.”

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Sunday, New Heat, who races for Newfield Farm and Saavedra’s wife, Jennifer, will be ridden by Tyler Baze, who has been aboard for nine of the mare’s last 11 starts, including two wins.

Anthony Saavedra said his primary concern about Sunday’s race is the shorter distance compared to the March 20 race.

“I would like it a lot better if it was a mile and an eighth,” he said. “Going a mile, if she has to swing wide and give up some ground, we could be very vulnerable.

“I’ll leave it up to Tyler. Maybe wait and be patient. She has such a nice turn of foot.”

New Heat is part of a field of nine in Sunday’s seventh race.

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Other leading runners are the Irish-bred Thrump’s Dream, winner of a one-mile allowance race in her third start in the United States on March 27; Ole Silver, unraced since a win in an allowance race last June; and Carpe Vinum, who was sixth of eight in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf March 26.

Ole Silver and Carpe Vinum are trained by Phil D’Amato. Ole Silver led throughout her win on dirt last June and is likely to have a similar position in this field. D’Amato said he sought to run Ole Silver on dirt for her first start of 2022, but could not find a suitable race.

“She’s had prior good races on grass,” he said. “I would think she’d be on or around the lead.”

Carpe Vinum was third in an allowance race on turf at 1 1/8 miles in January, her only start this year other than the Santa Ana Stakes.

“She ran against some toughies,” D’Amato said. “I think coming back to the allowance race, this will be a nice race for her to get back on track.”