Royal Slipper looks perfect, except for price, in Desi Arnaz Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – Bettors questioning the reliability of the juvenile stakes favorite Saturday at Del Mar may ultimately arrive at the same conclusion – Royal Slipper is a cinch in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes.

There is no such thing as a cinch, of course. But if there was, Royal Slipper would be a perfect example. Dominating debut winner at Keeneland, Royal Slipper faces modest 2-year-old fillies in the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz, race 2 on a card that includes the Cary Grant Stakes, race 8.

Royal Slipper enters the Desi Arnaz as the likely pacesetter with the highest figure and a big work over the Del Mar track. The knock is price. Royal Slipper could go odds-on in a small field that includes maiden winner Nothing Like You and stakes-placed Tambo. Don’t Bring Crazy and Halone also are entered.

Wesley Ward trains Royal Slipper, who romped in her Oct. 6 debut at Keeneland.

“We drew the one hole, and I was really, really worried about that,” Ward said. “She was in the gate a long time. I knew when she broke, there would have to be a really good one to beat her.”

Royal Slipper popped the gate under John Velazquez, set the pace, and was gone by 4 3/4 lengths.

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“She just kind of bounded along, she’s got a big, long stride, and she’s very fast,” Ward said. Royal Slipper earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure.

Fast enough for the Desi Arnaz? Probably so, and after a fast work last week, the full sister to Grade 1 winner Bast is ready to fire. Mike Smith subbed for Velazquez in the Del Mar work.

“We asked him to go a nice, easy breeze,” Ward said.

Smith estimated Royal Slipper went five furlongs in 1:03. But good horses fool top jockeys. Royal Slipper actually went in 1:00.60. Velazquez rides Royal Slipper on Saturday; the filly can be long gone in a stakes won by favorites four of the last six years.

Nothing Like You could be second choice in the Desi Arnaz based on a maiden romp at a mile. The two-three finishers returned to win their next starts. Juan Hernandez rides Nothing Like You for trainer Bob Baffert, who also entered maiden second-time starter Halone.

Tambo finished second in the Anoakia Stakes. Don’t Bring Crazy enters off a modest maiden win.

The Desi Arnaz will provide some definition to the California filly division, which may remain unsettled until Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante winner Tamara returns in spring. Tamara exited her seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies with a cracked splint bone that trainer Richard Mandella said “should heal fine.”

In the meantime, it’s all about Royal Slipper on Saturday at Del Mar. She looks like a cinch.

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