Sandy Bottom among the denizens lined up for La Brea

DEL MAR, Calif. – Though she upset Grade 1 winner Tamara on Friday at Del Mar, the unbeaten stakes winner Sandy Bottom received less notoriety for winning her comeback than the filly she beat. Not that trainer Michael McCarthy is complaining. He is happy Sandy Bottom made it back.

“She was training like she could win first time back,” McCarthy said after Sandy Bottom won by a nose over Tamara. The allowance sprint was the first start in more than a year for both fillies, who are likely to meet again in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 26. The La Brea might be the best race on the Santa Anita opening-day card.

“If all goes well, that’s the logical next spot” for Sandy Bottom, McCarthy said.

Tamara also will target the La Brea. Tamara, produced by Beholder, won the 2023 Del Mar Debutante before finishing seventh as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Tamara’s comeback was delayed while she recovered from a splint injury in winter, body soreness in summer, and illness this fall.

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Sandy Bottom was likewise delayed. After winning the Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies in October 2023 at Santa Anita, she needed time.

“After the Anoakia, she wasn’t 100 percent,” McCarthy said. “We actually got her started and had to stop on her. Nothing major, just stopped and started.”

She worked once in April before she stopped, but from September to November, training at San Luis Rey Downs, Sandy Bottom did not miss a beat. Sandy Bottom and Tamara both earned 82 Beyer Speed Figures finishing a nose apart in the six-furlong allowance. Potential candidates for the La Brea include graded stakes winners Hope Road, Sugar Fish, and One Magic Philly.

One Magic Philly comes back

The list of possible La Brea starters includes a filly dropping out of the best race. One Magic Philly finished sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, beaten less than three lengths.

“I think it was much better than looked,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “She was just kind of trapped on the inside the whole time. She never had a clear shot to find some room. In hindsight, maybe we take back and make a wide run. We learned something, she didn’t disgrace herself, and definitely pointing to the La Brea.”

Prior to her sixth in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, One Magic Philly won the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes at Santa Anita and an entry-level allowance sprint at Del Mar in which she earned a career-high 98 Beyer. One Magic Philly has won 3 of 5 starts.

Splendora wins big

The La Brea picked up another live candidate Sunday at Del Mar, where Splendora made short work of three rivals to win an entry-level allowance sprint by 5 1/2 lengths under Juan Hernandez. The filly’s final time for 6 1/2 furlongs was 1:16.26.

“We’ve always been high on her,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “From Day One, she was nice. She had a little setback, just baby stuff. She needed some time. Her next race will be the La Brea.”

Michael Talla owns Splendora, a 2-for-3 filly sired by Audible. She finished second in her career debut last year, was off 10 months afterward, and crushed maidens in her comeback.

“Michael Talla’s been very patient,” Baffert said, and even while the filly was off for so long, Baffert assured Talla, “Don’t worry, she’s good.”

Just how good Splendora is will be determined Dec. 26, when she makes the fourth start of her career in the La Brea.

The 1992 La Brea winner Arches of Gold was making just the third start of her career. And like Splendora, Arches of Gold was trained by Baffert.

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