Santa Anita: Multiple contenders in Monrovia

ARCADIA, Calif. – Everyone thinks they can win the Grade 3 Monrovia Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita. Everyone also agrees the turf sprint is one tough race.

“It’s a good race,” trainer Tom Proctor said. “It’s $200,000. It should be.”

Proctor trains likely favorite Pontchatrain and upset candidate Purim’s Dancer. Both are qualified to win, a comment that applies to most of the 10 fillies and mares entered.

“Geez, that’s a salty, salty race,” trainer Carla Gaines said.

She starts Winding Way, whose career is winding down. Before Winding Way is bred this spring, Gaines hopes she can capture a graded stakes.

“This filly is doing fantastic,” she said. “Not good, fantastic.”

Kindle, runner-up in the 2013 Monrovia, returns from an 11-month layoff as the likely pacesetter. Her comeback works suggest she’s ready.

“She looks like she enjoys it as much as she ever has, and I see her being a little more relaxed,” trainer Gary Mandella said.

Kindle might have company up front. European import Supersonic makes her U.S. debut for trainer Bob Baffert.

“She has a lot of speed,” he said. “She’s ready. What she is, we’ll find out.”

What the Monrovia will do is offer a preview. Despite its January placement, the race is significant. Mizdirection won in 2012-13, followed by two appearances in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Outstanding turf sprinter Unzip Me won her final graded stakes in the 2011 Monrovia. In 2010, Tuscan Evening won the Monrovia, her first of six consecutive graded stakes.

Pontchatrain has trained smartly for her first start since the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy on the hill in November, her second win from two downhill starts. Gary Stevens rides the 4-for-6 Pontchatrain whose outside draw and stalking style should lead to another good trip.

Her stablemate Purim’s Dancer, however, should not be discounted. She finished fifth, by less than two lengths, in the Maddy. Proctor said he believes Purim’s Dancer can narrow the margin.

“She’s kind of an on upswing,” Proctor said.”Last time, she wasn’t on an upswing. Now, she is.”

Purim’s Dancer has won 4 of 6 on the hill, 5 of 11 overall, and will be ridden by Joe Talamo.

Kindle is the key entrant because she looks like the pace of the field. Her 2013 campaign stalled in spring when she had an ankle chip removed, and at age 6 Mandella sees her returning as good as ever. A pure speedster, Kindle may have mellowed slightly.

“With a little more age, and [Rafael] Bejarano, hopefully we can coax her to slow down,” he said. “If she does the first half in 42 and change, you’ll know it was wishful thinking.”

Kindle has won 4 of 10 and has a history of firing fresh. She won her career debut in fall 2011 and a stakes race following a seven-month layoff in fall 2012. If she relaxes up front, Kindle could be gone.

Supersonic has been working fast on the main track for her U.S. debut.

“I’ve never had her on the grass. We know she likes the grass,” Baffert said.

Supersonic won 2 of 15 in Europe. She was entered in a stakes race Breeders’ Cup week, but scratched.

“She wasn’t quite ready,” Baffert said. “I wanted to make sure she was really ready.”

Mike Smith rides Supersonic.

Winding Way finished only a length behind Pontchatrain two starts back. Gaines hopes new jockey Victor Espinoza can get her to settle in behind the speed. If the Monrovia is not her career finale, the Grade 2 Santa Monica on Jan. 25 will be.

Judy In Disguise, Golden Production, Ciao Bella Luna, and Camryn Kate also are entered.