Santa Anita: My Philly Girl rehearses for stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – My Philly Girl will be stakes-bound this spring, possibly at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, if she wins a $60,000 allowance race at Santa Anita on Friday.

Trainer Mike Machowsky said the $300,000 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 4 is a goal with My Philly Girl, who has won 2 of 4 starts.

“She’s an awfully good filly,” Machowsky said. “I’ve got plans for her down the line. If Friday goes well, I might go to the Humana Distaff. Hopefully, everything will go well Friday.”

My Philly Girl won an allowance race over 6 1/2 furlongs here Feb. 23, closing from third in a field of six to win by a head in a hand ride.

The allowance race has turned out to be productive one, with subsequent wins by runner-up Egg Drop and third-place finisher Conkate, who starts against My Philly Girl on Friday.

A 4-year-old filly by Empire Maker, My Philly Girl was second in her career debut in February 2012, emerging from the race with a bone chip in an ankle, Machowsky said. She won her return to racing at Betfair Hollywood Park on Dec. 7 and was third in her first start of this meeting, an allowance race on a wet-fast track Dec. 29.

“When I ran her in the mud, I ran her back kind of quick,” Machowsky said.

Machowsky said that My Philly Girl develops an occasional throat ulcer, which requires frequent treatment.

“We’ve been dealing with it off and on,” Machowsky said.

Friday’s race is run over 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares and drew a field of six. Conkate returned to win a six-furlong optional claimer on March 23. Her start against My Philly Girl in February was her first race for trainer Doug O’Neill. He and a partnership that owns the 4-year-old filly claimed Conkate for $32,000 on Feb. 10.

Nihilist, who won an allowance race March 9, and Magical Band, fourth in a turf sprint Feb. 14, may set the pace Friday.