Ralis seeks to put two good races together in Rainbow Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – Ralis reversed months of disappointing performances with a nose loss to Gold Rush Dancer in the $188,000 Snow Chief Stakes on the Santa Anita turf on May 28.
The Snow Chief, restricted to California-breds, was the first start on turf for Ralis, who is likely to stay on the surface through the summer. On Saturday, Ralis can win his first stakes since the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last September in the $75,000 Rainbow Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
A repeat of his performance in the Snow Chief may be all Ralis needs to win what should be a competitive race.
“Anything close to that will put him right there,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “I like the way he’s doing. He’s coming off a good race.”
Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Ralis is winless in six starts since the Hopeful. He ran in five consecutive graded stakes from October to early May, with his best finish a fifth in the Grade 3 Spiral Sakes at Turfway Park on April 2.
“We were in some deep water,” O’Neill said.
In the Snow Chief, Ralis closed from fourth in a field of five behind a slow pace to just miss catching Gold Rush Dancer. There should be a stronger pace in the Rainbow, which drew a field of 11.
The runners include Arcature and Lucky Bryan, who were first and third in the Singletary Stakes at mile on turf May 14; Smokey Image, the champion California-bred male of 2015; and Undeniable U, a game second in an optional claimer on turf May 8.
Smokey Image won his first six starts but is winless in three graded stakes since early March. Trained by Carla Gaines, Smokey Image was third in the Grade 3 Laz Barrera Stakes at seven furlongs May 14. The Rainbow will be Smokey Image’s first start without blinkers.
The Rainbow will be the turf-stakes debut for Mishegas, who was fourth behind Uncle Lino in the California Chrome Stakes at Los Alamitos on April 30 for trainer Art Sherman.
“It came up tough for an overnight race,” Sherman said. “If I hit the board, I’ll be lucky.”
Desert Stormer rescheduled
The $75,000 Desert Stormer Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs has been postponed from Saturday to June 26 after failing to draw a sufficient field when entries were taken this week. The Desert Stormer is run at six furlongs and is designed as a prep for the $100,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 17.
Entries for the Desert Stormer were taken Wednesday. Santa Anita intended to run 10 races on Saturday but has carded nine.
Through Sunday, the 24th day of the 40-day meeting, fields have averaged 7.45 runners per race compared with 7.87 at a similar point last year. The entire 2015 spring-summer meeting averaged 7.84 runners per race.