Pair of bedeviling maiden races will test handicappers
Bettors face a similar dilemma in both 2-year-old maiden races Friday at Los Alamitos, where a comeback colt and surface-switch filly offer a choice – bet the devil you know, or the devil you don’t?
Aspen Shade, debut runner-up in May, returns as likely favorite in race 5 for California-bred maidens. Sugar Sugar, third in her debut followed by a fourth on turf, returns to dirt as potential favorite in race 6 for fillies.
The quandary is that although Aspen Shade and Sugar Sugar ran well, neither ran fast and both lost races they had every chance to win. Are they vulnerable? Only if a first-time starter steps up. Both races Friday include devil-you-don’t-know candidates.
Race-5 favorite Aspen Shade faces firsters Oubabe and Fast Draw Munnings; both have trained like they will fire. Race-6 contender Sugar Sugar faces Shes Bout a Mover, who drew the rail and is by a sire whose progeny are 0 for 23 first time out. However, Shes Bout a Mover has worked like a filly with above-average ability.
While uncertainty clouds the juvenile maiden races, race 7 Friday features the most probable winner on the card. Synthesis returns to the $25,000 claiming starter level of his recent wins, and enters the mile race as a standout over Truth Seeker and Leprino.
The odds are more appealing in the maiden races, unless bettors hammer Aspen Shade as heavily in race 5 as in his debut four months ago at Santa Anita. Aspen Shade trained exceptionally well, and started as a 3-2 favorite for trainer Jeff Bonde.
“He should have won,” Bonde said. “But he came out of the race with [an unspecified setback] and I gave him some time off.” Bonde was asked if Aspen Shade is ready to fire. “He’s training very good. My colt will run good, I think,” he said.
The knock on Aspen Shade’s debut is not his 42 Beyer, but rather that he wasted a perfect trip. He pressed the pace in the clear, made the lead in late stretch, but the horse he headed re-rallied to win by a neck. The winner Thirsty Always won a Pleasanton stakes next out.
If the setback Bonde referred to was bugging Aspen Shade first out, he should follow through with his rally Friday. If not, John Sadler-trained firster Oubabe and Jeff Mullins-trained firster Fast Draw Munnings both have worked well enough to win first out.
Race-6 contender Sugar Sugar ran twice at Del Mar. She set easy fractions first out, and finished third to next-out Grade 1 winner Grace Adler. Next out, Sugar Sugar pressed the pace in a turf sprint and was swallowed late to finish fourth. She earned a 62 Beyer in both starts. Peter Miller trains Sugar Sugar, who is facing easier rivals Friday at Los Alamitos.
First-time starter Shes Bout a Mover has worked well for trainer Simon Callaghan, who has won with four of his last seven debut 2-year-olds at Los Alamitos. Shes Bout a Mover is by first-crop sire Mastery, whose debut progeny are 0 for 23.