Santa Ana Lane tries to break rare dry spell in All Aged Stakes

Lengthy losing streaks have been a rarity in the accomplished career of Australian sprinter Santa Ana Lane.

A winner of 10 of 39 starts, Santa Ana Lane is winless in his last six starts leading to an appearance in Saturday’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney. The only time the 7-year-old Southern Hemisphere gelding has gone longer without a win was a 12-race span early in his career from late 2015 to early 2017.

With the time change, most of the Randwick program will be run late Friday across American time zones. First post time is 9:55 p.m. Eastern on Friday, or 6:55 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

A seven-time group stakes winner, Santa Ana Lane was a good second to top sprinter Nature Strip in the Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes on April 7 at Randwick, losing by two lengths. A repeat of that performance may be sufficient to win the $252,800 All Aged Stakes, which is run at seven furlongs and will have a maximum field of 14 starters.

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Santa Ana Lane, trained by Anthony Freedman, drew the rail, which may not be an issue considering he runs from off the pace. Jockey Tim Clark, who rode Santa Ana Lane for the first time in the Smith Stakes, retains the mount.

Pierata and Bivouac, fourth and sixth in the Smith Stakes, are part of what should be a competitive running of the All Aged Stakes.

Pierata, most effective as a stalker, won the Group 1 Redzel Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens in November but is winless in two starts in 2020. Bivouac, a 3-year-old in the Southern Hemisphere, won the Group 1 Newmarket Stakes at six furlongs on March 7 at Flemington Racecourse.

A winner of 6 of 15 starts, Bivouac is quick enough to dispute the pace. Bivouac was beaten 3 1/2 lengths in the Smith Stakes racing from off the pace.

The All Aged Stakes is the second of two Group 1 races on Saturday’s program, preceded by the $252,800 Champagne Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile.

King’s Legacy, winner of the Group 1 Inglis’ Sires Stakes at seven furlongs on April 7 at Randwick, will be a solid favorite in a field of 10. Ole Kirk, fourth in the Sires Stakes, is likely to be the second choice.

King’s Legacy will be in pursuit of Holyfield, who has won 3 of 4 starts since his career began in late January.

The All Aged Stakes will be the Group 1 debut for Holyfield, who won the Group 3 Baillieu Stakes at seven furlongs on March 28 over Untamed, who is part of the Champagne Stakes field.