Return to turf includes one-mile allowance

ARCADIA, Calif. – Times are tough, but challenging conditions are nothing new for the top two contenders in the featured seventh race Friday at Santa Anita.

Last Opportunity was compromised last out by bad luck. His comeback debacle was the result of a bad trip. K P All Systems Go, a romping maiden winner, is compromised Friday by distance. One mile is too short for a colt that wants a mile and an eighth or more.

Challenges aside, Last Opportunity and K P All Systems Go will be well bet Friday in a field of nine 3-year-olds in a competitive feature. The entry-level allowance is one of four turf races Friday as Santa Anita grass racing resumes for the first time since March 8.

The field for the allowance feature also includes sharp debut winner West Sider, stakes-placed dropper Liar Liar, and maiden winner Jurgen. Commander, Kanderel, potential pacesetter Bad Beat, and Governance also are entered.

Last Opportunity’s first U.S. start was a promising third in a Grade 3. But when he returned Feb. 29 in an ungraded race, he curiously abandoned his previous off-the-pace strategy. He was asked for speed soon after the break, got rank, fought his rider, and chucked it.

“It was over on the first turn,” trainer Neil Drysdale said. “It was his first race back, he got rank, but he held in there.”

Under the circumstances, Last Opportunity actually ran well finishing sixth. With a rider switch Friday to Flavien Prat, an improved effort is expected. “With Prat, he can settle and make a run,” Drysdale said.

An import from Ireland, Last Opportunity has started four times. If he reproduces his third in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes, he should be right there.

K P All Systems Go, if he reproduces his six-length maiden romp, also figures. That mile and one-eighth race was his first beyond a mile. “The distance helped him,” trainer Jeff Mullins said. “I think he’s going to want to run even farther.”

Mullins hoped to run him back at the same 1 1/8-mile distance, but no race was available. “So here we are going a mile, from the outside post, with the rail at 30 feet,” Mullins said with resignation.

The outermost setting of the turf rails is not a deal breaker. There have been 13 turf races this meet at one mile, with the rails at the outer setting: two winners led gate to wire, four winners were positioned second or third, seven rallied from the middle or back.

West Sider, an Uncle Mo colt who won his dirt-sprint debut by more than two lengths, will contest the pace with stretch-out Bad Beat.