Santa Anita: Famous Alice steps up in Blue Norther

ARCADIA, Calif. – The winter meet at Santa Anita began well for trainer Tom Proctor. He saddled two stakes winners, two other stakes runners hit the board, and Chelios made an auspicious debut finishing second in a highly rated maiden race for 2-year-olds.

Proctor can continue to roll Wednesday, when flashy debut winner Famous Alice moves up in class and out in distance to face Grade 3 winner Full Ransom and six others in the $75,000 Blue Norther for newly turned 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf.

The field includes two good shippers from Golden Gate – bred-for-turf Rever de Vous and wide-trip maiden winner Kris Furillo. Others in the Blue Norther field are Loan Savant, One More Wild Ride, Saintly Joan, and Sushi Empire.

It was surprising that Famous Alice was favored in her Nov. 23 career debut. But two days earlier at the California Horse Racing Board meeting, the filly’s owner, CHRB commissioner George Krikorian, discussed a lack of opportunities for turf fillies during the winter meet. “. . . there’s no filly 3-year-old turf long . . . until late April,” Krikorian said at the meeting.

“I think everybody took that as he was touting his horse,” Proctor said. “He said why is she such a short price?” Proctor told him, “I’ve had five people tell me that we must really like her.”

Famous Alice, by Kitten’s Joy, ran as if her odds should have been much lower than 8-5. Racing six furlongs on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park, she rated kindly under Gary Stevens, swung out for the drive, and powered home under a hand ride. She galloped out super, looking for more distance. It was an exceptional debut.

“She came out of that race good and has been going forward,” Proctor said. “Yes, it is a step up. She drew a good post, and Gary is riding good. We’ll just have to see.”

Famous Alice drew the rail and is the 3-1 second choice by track linemaker Jon White. Despite her inexperience, Famous Alice is the one to beat.

Meanwhile, the 5-2 favorite is solid. Full Ransom won a maiden race setting the pace Oct. 17 at Santa Anita, then overcame slow fractions to rally from last and win the Grade 3 Miesque at Hollywood.

While the winter campaign for Full Ransom is undetermined, owner Deron Pearson has expressed interest in dirt.

“We’ll have to see,” trainer Jim Cassidy said, noting he may have no other options.

“Most of the 3-year-old races on grass, they got rid of,” he said.

The next scheduled turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita is the Grade 3 Providencia on April 5.

Rever de Vous will try turf for the first time after two sprints on synthetic at Golden Gate. An impressive debut winner from slightly off the pace, she was compromised by the “race shape” in her second start and retreated to fourth after dueling for the lead.

Jerry Hollendorfer trains Rever de Vous; assistant trainer Dan Ward pointed to her 326 Tomlinson Rating in Daily Racing Form as potential evidence she might like turf. Rever de Vous is by Distorted Humor and out of a Grade 3-winning daughter of El Prado.

Ward said blinkers will be added based partly on recommendation from jockey Russell Baze, who rode her first out.

“He said she looks around all the time,” Ward explained.

Kris Furillo won her debut at Golden Gate despite being three, four, and five wide most of the one-mile grass race. Trained by Michael Larson, she will be ridden by Joe Talamo.