Santa Anita
Paved may try Santa Anita Oaks dirt in next start
Shane Micheli/ Vassar Photography Paved was only the fourth filly to run in the El Camino Real Derby.
Paved won the El Camino Real Derby on Saturday at Golden Gate Fields in her first start against the boys and on synthetic. She will again face fillies in her next start, but will be considered for another first: Paved might try dirt in the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks on April 7, trainer Michael McCarthy said Sunday morning at Santa Anita.
McCarthy said Paved also would be nominated to the Grade 3, $150,000 Providencia Stakes, also on April 7 at Santa Anita. That race is on turf, the surface over which Paved began her career, including an impressive victory against maidens here Jan. 6.
Paved, a daughter of Quality Road, beat eight males in the 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real Derby, defeating runner-up City Plan by 1 1/4 lengths. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 86.
The El Camino Real Derby was worth 10 points toward a berth in the May 5 Kentucky Derby, but Paved is not nominated to the Triple Crown and there is no plan to run her outside her division.
Paved has been highly regarded by her connections. She was making her first start outside Southern California on Saturday.
“She has a super mind on her,” McCarthy said on Sunday. “She didn’t get rattled at all yesterday.”
Drayden Van Dyke has been aboard Paved for both her wins.
