Santa Anita: Purim's Dancer targets Maddy Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Breeders’ Cup program at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 is turning into Ladies’ Day for trainer Tom Proctor.

Proctor has the 5-year-old mare Marketing Mix as a leading domestic contender for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf that afternoon. On the same program, Proctor plans to run the 3-year-old Pontchatrain and the 4-year-old Purim’s Dancer in the Grade 3, $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares on the hillside turf course.

Pontchatrain won the Unzip Me Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 28. On Friday, Purim’s Dancer won a $58,000 allowance race on the hillside turf course in her first start since late May.

“We gave her some time to give her some time,” Proctor said. “Maybe it will work in our favor.”

Owned by the partnership of Doug Donnelly, Corey Johnsen, Lenny Kohn, and Gene McLean, Purim’s Dancer has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $181,200. Friday’s race was her third win of the year on the hillside turf course. In her first two starts of the season, both on the hillside, Purim’s Dancer won an optional claimer in January and followed with a win in the restricted Wishing Well Stakes a month later.

On Friday, Purim’s Dancer was ridden by Gary Stevens. Proctor and Stevens have been a formidable combination this year, winning with 16 of the 55 horses on which they have teamed.

“There is not a whole lot to it,” Proctor said. “I train, and he rides. I’m not a good sideline coach. Well, maybe I’m better than I think because I say less. I try to ride good horsemen. Sometimes, they don’t fit a horse, but normally, it’s been all right.”

Purim’s Dancer had an ideal trip in the allowance race. Stevens had Purim’s Dancer in second on the hillside, stalking Magical Band, who set an early pace of 22.52 and 44.89 seconds. Purim’s Dancer ($3.80) took the lead near the eighth pole and won by a half-length over A Time to Love, finishing about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:12.02.

Minds Eyes finished third, followed by Magical Band and In the Stars. In the Stars, second in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes here in February, never was a factor.

Stevens is booked to ride Marketing Mix in the BC Filly and Mare Turf. His mount in the Maddy Stakes might be a trickier choice.

“Now he’ll have to make a decision – this one or Pontchatrain,” Proctor said Friday.

Fewer stakes next weekend

After nine graded stakes, including six Grade 1 races, in the first two weekends of the autumn meeting, the pace slows considerably next weekend, with three minor stakes.

The $100,000 California Distaff Handicap for statebred females on the hillside turf course is the main race Saturday. In the past, the race was run as the California Cup Distaff on a day of stakes for statebreds. The Cal Cup is not being run this year but is being merged with the Sunshine Millions program in late January or early February.

Sunday’s main race is the $70,000 Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies over six furlongs. There is racing on Monday, Oct. 14, a program highlighted by the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds over six furlongs.