Runninwiththeboyz returns to the hill after a layoff

It’s been nearly a year since Runninwiththeboyz last won, taking an allowance race on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in June 2023 after a three-month layoff.

Runninwiththeboyz starts on the unique course Friday for the first time since that win in a higher-class allowance race at about 6 1/2 furlongs.

This time, Runninwiththeboyz returns after a layoff of seven months, a gap that does not concern trainer Phil D’Amato.

“I think she’s pretty fit and fresh,” he said Wednesday.

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Owned by the partnership of David Bernsen, Eduardo Bernal, and Jeffrey Lambert, Runninwiththeboyz has won 4 of 10 starts, with three of the wins in turf sprints. A 5-year-old mare, Runninwiththeboyz has set the pace in two-turn races, and raced as a stalker in sprints.

“I think she’s tactical,” D’Amato said. “She’s a filly that can sit on or near the lead.”

Runninwiththeboyz is part of a field of seven in the ninth race on a 10-race program that is part of the final weekend of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting. Los Alamitos begins its summer meeting on June 22, followed by the Del Mar summer meeting, which opens July 20.

Runninwiththeboyz is one of two mares trained by D’Amato in the turf sprint along with Kitty Kitana, who was third in two Grade 3 stakes for 3-year-old fillies in 2022, including the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course.

Kitty Kitana is entered to be claimed for $80,000, a career-first. She was a well-beaten third in an allowance race at a mile on turf in her last start on April 26. Kitty Kitana is winless in five turf sprints in her career, including a one-length loss on the hillside when second in 2022.

“One day will be her day,” D’Amato said. “She knows the hill. She’s versatile. Hopefully that helps her.”

The field includes two runners with victories on the course this year – Make It Snow and Vitalera.

Make It Snow has not started since a win in a maiden race in January in which she closed from off the pace.

Vitalera was a surprise 29-1 winner of an allowance race on the hillside May 5, racing near the front throughout.

Earlier on the program, Midland Magic, a colt by the first-year stallion Shancelot, will debut in a maiden race at five furlongs on dirt for 2-year-olds.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Midland Magic was purchased for $650,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ March sale of 2-year-olds in-training. Bill Childs was listed as the buyer.

Midland Magic, who drew the outside post in a field of six, has worked quickly on several occasions in the last month, notably a half-mile from the gate in 46.20 seconds on May 20.

“He’s working really nice,” Baffert said. “You don’t know until they come out of the gate. They’ve got to do it in the afternoon.”

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