Pacific Ocean Song in no rush

ARCADIA, Calif. - The April options for Pacific Ocean Song include a $52,000 allowance race at Santa Anita on Friday or the $150,000 Fran's Valentine Stakes at Hollywood Park on April 24.

The allowance race may not be as glamorous as the stakes, but it is the logical spot for a 4-year-old filly seeking her second win.

"That race looks like it's really tough," said trainer Eoin Harty of the Fran's Valentine. "This is a more conservative approach."

is a top contender in Friday's seventh race, run over a mile on turf for statebred fillies and mares. It is the feature race on a program that begins at 3 p.m.

Three races will be run on turf Friday, continuing a late-season emphasis on grass racing. The course was used less frequently in the first half of the meeting because of wet weather.

Pacific Ocean Song's career began at this meeting. After finishing sixth in a maiden race on turf in late January, she won a maiden race against open company March 11.

Pacific Ocean Song returned to finish fourth at 16-1 against open company in a first-condition allowance race March 31. Race winner Barancella is a promising filly trained by Bobby Frankel.

"She was in tough last time," Harty said of Pacific Ocean Song. "It turned out to be a hell of a race. The filly that won it is a potential graded stakes winner."

Friday's race drew 13 fillies and mares, but will be limited to 12 starters. Pacific Ocean Song breaks from post 9.

"She's training really well," Harty said. "It's a little quicker back than I'd like, but it's hard to pass up an opportunity with California-breds. I definitely like her chances."

Owned by Stan Fulton, Pacific Ocean Song was purchased for $250,000 at the 2002 Del Mar yearling sale. Harty said "minor problems" delayed the start of her career.

"It was nothing serious," he said. "She's a big mare, and it was a matter of waiting on her to come around."

, both coming off layoffs, will challenge Pacific Ocean Song. In High Form is making her turf debut and first start since May.

Del Mar Ticket has not started since last June, when she finished third against a similar field. She will be ridden by Carlos Arias, a jockey who has worked as an exercise rider in recent years. Arias previously rode in Southern California and the United Arab Emirates.