Santa Anita: Ex-claimer Golden Production gets class test in Grade 2 Santa Maria
[bc_video_id:316398:]ARCADIA, Calif. – Golden Production has been the overachiever in trainer Peter Miller’s stable in recent months.
Claimed for $40,000 at Santa Anita in mid-October, Golden Production is unbeaten in three starts for Miller, including the minor Paseana Stakes here on Jan. 12. Those wins make Golden Production a contender in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles.
The Grade 2 Santa Maria is a far cry from what Miller thought Golden Production could be.
“I was looking for a $40,000 to $50,000 filly,” he said on Thursday.
In the Santa Maria, Golden Production faces the toughest field of her career in her graded stakes debut. The competition includes Fiftyshadesofhay, the winner of the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico last May; Stanwyck, the winner of the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap at Belmont Park in October; the minor stakes winners Iotapa, Let Faith Arise, and Ondine; and the longshot Yahilwa.
Golden Production, 5, has won 5 of 11 starts and earned $208,140. She has won four consecutive races, a streak that began in the $40,000 claimer when Miller bought her on behalf of owner Myron Miller. In her next three starts, Golden Production won an allowance race in November, an optional claimer in December, and the Paseana.
“She continues to progress,” Peter Miller said. “She showed a lot of heart when she won the" optional claimer.
Miller said he was impressed with Golden Production in the Pasaena Stakes, when she fought for the lead in the final quarter-mile and won by a head over Stanwyck. Martin Pedroza rode Golden Production in the Paseana, but is sidelined with a leg injury suffered on Feb. 7.
Kent Desormeaux has the mount on Golden Production in the Santa Maria. Golden Production will need the race of her career to be a factor, Miller said.
“She’ll have to step up her game,” he said. “She can run from wherever. I expect her to be second or third.”
Iotapa was second in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes over seven furlongs on Jan. 25, her first start since July. Trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing, Iotapa was second to champion 3-year-old Beholder in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks last April and second to the multiple stakes winner Doinghardtimeagain in the Grade 2 Hollywood Oaks last June. Those races are Iotapa’s only starts over 1 1/16 miles.
Sadler said he was encouraged by Iotapa’s one-length loss to Scherzinger in the Santa Monica.
“She ran a good strong race,” he said.
Scherzinger is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, who starts Let Faith Arise. A 4-year-old filly by Kafwain, Let Faith Arise was second by a neck to Spellbound in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes over 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 19. Ondine and Fiftyshadesofhay were third and fourth in the La Canada.
The La Canada was the first start for Let Faith Arise around two turns, and her second start since last June.
Let Faith Arise was sidelined by illnesses twice in late 2013. She missed training last fall after finishing eighth in the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes on the hillside turf course on Nov. 2.
In the La Canada, Let Faith Arise rallied from fourth to finish second by a neck, closing seven lengths in the last half-mile.
“She ran very well last time,” said Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant. “It was her first time going long and her first graded stakes.”