Saralin poised for big effort in second career start

DEL MAR, Calif. – While stablemate Donna Veloce concludes her campaign next month as the favorite in a Grade 1, another Simon Callaghan-trained juvenile filly seeks relevance Friday when she starts as the overwhelming favorite in a maiden route at Del Mar.

Saralin, a $1.3 million Curlin filly, ran well finishing second in her debut and has worked well since. She returns Friday in a similar maiden mile, race 3. The reason her program odds are no lower than 6-5 is due to a worthy opponent in second-time starter Cosmic Cowgirl.

In terms of potential significance, Friday’s race-3 maiden route supersedes an entry-level allowance route for fillies and mares, race 6, that is led by Persepolis and Carressa.

Saralin was purchased at the same March 2-year-old sale as $800,000 stablemate Donna Veloce, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and presumptive favorite in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Starlet on Dec. 7. Donna Veloce began her career winning a sprint by more than nine lengths, while Callaghan debuted Saralin in a route.

“That’s what you need to do with Curlins,” Callaghan said. “She certainly would have run well over six [furlongs], but we were happy to get her ready to go long, that’s obviously what she is going to be doing.”

First time out, Saralin ran very well. She tucked in fifth on the rail under Flavien Prat, split horses into the lane to make the lead, then missed by 1 1/2 lengths to Gingham. She finished more than five lengths clear of third.

“I thought she ran really well,” Callaghan said. “She took dirt all the way, looked like she was going to win the race, then got run down by a filly that’s pretty talented and had three races.”

Bob Baffert trains Gingham, who is likely to return in the Starlet.

Saralin worked a sharp half-mile since she raced, and is expected to improve Friday while adding Lasix. Her owners include Kaleem Shah, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. Callaghan said the Friday maiden race will conclude her 2019 season.

“Two starts as a 2-year-old is nice, then we’ll give her a little time and let her mature,” he said.

Callaghan also looks forward to the 2020 return of Great Power, an 88-Beyer debut winner Sept. 29. “He’s going to be back training in December,” he said. “I think he’s a really, really good one. He’s my big colt, that’s for sure.”

Great Power, by Blame, could make his 3-year-old debut in March.

As for Saralin, she might not be a layup Friday against Cosmic Cowgirl, a Malibu Moon filly trained by Richard Baltas and the first runner produced by multiple stakes-winning route filly Montana Native. Cosmic Cowgirl finished third in her debut, a highly rated sprint in which she earned a 66 Beyer, one point higher than Saralin.

Two turns should be ideal for Cosmic Cowgirl, whose rider is Heriberto Figueroa. Others in the maiden field include second-time starters Rare Find and Last First Kiss, first-time starter Storie Blue, and five-start maiden Go Big Blue Nation.