Quick filly returning to the turf

ALBANY, Calif. - Gotta Have Her's recent efforts against much better make her look strong in a first-level allowance race at one mile on the turf Sunday at Golden Gate Fields.

A $300,000 Keeneland yearling purchase in September 2005, Gotta Have Her graduated on the turf on Feb. 10 at Santa Anita after having run fourth in her debut at Del Mar in September 2006. Stretched out to Sunday's one-mile distance, she ran third in the China Doll on March 3 and third again in the Grade 3 Providencia on April 7, both on the Santa Anita turf. She alternated on the lead before losing a tight three-way photo in the China Doll and rallied late in the Providencia.

Gotta Have Her earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90 in the China Doll and a 91 in the Providencia, figures that dwarf the next-best turf Beyer Figure among Sunday's entrants, which is a 77 earned by Wild Promises.

Returned to the main track and dropped into a first-level allowance race at Hollywood Park on May 4, she bobbled leaving the gate but sat close to the lead for six furlongs before giving way, and she was not asked to run in the lane.

Since that effort Gotta Have Her has three strong works, and trainer Jenine Sahadi has found the perfect spot for this daughter of Royal Academy, who clearly prefers turf.

She will be meeting Wild Promises, a $75,000 purchase as a 2-year-old, who was second sprinting in her first three starts before graduating in a maiden turf race at Sunday's distance.

Lemon Kiss graduated at one mile and lost by a neck in her turf debut in an allowance race in her last start.

Mizzy Topper has won twice in claiming races on the turf, and Cool All Over is stakes-placed on the turf after graduating on the grass.

Coastal Skimming has three victories and a third-place finish at a mile over the turf here.

Along with the highest Beyer Figures, Gotta Have Her also has a strategic advantage over her rivals. She has enough speed to take the lead but can also sit in a stalking position, which will give jockey Joel Rosario plenty of options.

Wild Promises slowed things down when she went wire to wire for her maiden victory, but she may not be quite as fast as Gotta Have Her or even Cool All Over.