Santa Anita: Rumor wins Kalookan Queen Handicap, points to Santa Monica Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Rumor is likely to start in the $300,000 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 28 after winning her second consecutive minor stakes in Sunday’s $79,500 Kalookan Queen Handicap.

Given an ideal ride by jockey Garrett Gomez, Rumor stalked a torrid early pace of 20.97 and 43.30 seconds set by Excellent News before taking the lead in early stretch. Rumor won by 2 1/4 lengths over Saint Isabelle, the 9-5 favorite. Big Tiz closed from eighth to finish third in the field of nine fillies and mares.

Rumor finished 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.95 on a track that has played fast since the Dec. 26 opening day of the winter-spring meeting.

Owned by Ramona Bass, Claiborne Farms, and Adele Dilschneider, Rumor has won 4 of 7 starts and $201,718. A 4-year-old filly by Indian Charlie, Rumor won the CERF Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 7, her final start of 2011.

“She’s a delicate filly,” said winning trainer Richard Mandella. “Any credit has to go to the owners. They are very patient with me and the filly. She loses a lot of weight.”

The Grade 1 Santa Monica Stakes is run over seven furlongs for fillies and mares.