Princess: Experience vs. potential

The first stakes of Sunland's winter-spring meet is the $50,000-added Princess on Friday, a six-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. The field of 10 mixes untested youngsters who have won maiden races impressively with several stakes winners.

Steve Asmussen sends owner Steven Baker's Kentucky shipper Valid Pulpit, who hasn't won a stakes but still has the highest earnings in the field at almost $50,000. In eight career starts she has a win and four seconds. Most recently, she was runner-up in an allowance at Churchill.

Silk N Diamonds is 2 for 2 in her career, winning a stakes at Turf Paradise by almost 10 lengths in her last start. Sarina Obergfell trains Silk N Diamonds for owner Superstition Ranch. Glen Corbett will ride.

Among locally based horses, Sa Moken looks to be the best and most seasoned. Trained by Joel Marr, Sa Moken placed in two stakes at Ruidoso this summer then gained black type at Sun Ray Park on Oct. 27, winning a minor stakes by 12 lengths. Carlos Madeira has the return engagement.

* Tuesday's opening day served as a coming out party for Scifi Flick. A 3-year-old daughter of Siphon trained by Lorence Lucero, Scifi Flick was already stakes-placed but served notice that she is ready to take on division leaders. Returning from a two-month layoff, Scifi Flick took command under jockey Cynthia McMahon early on the turn and drew off in the stretch to win by over 11 lengths. Scifi Flick covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.26.

Southern California-based jockey Garrett Gomez is taking a working vacation at Sunland and will be riding here until the beginning of Santa Anita's winter meet on December 26.