Saudi Chroma's owners seek initial return on investment

ARCADIA, Calif. – In March, Saudi Chroma was purchased for $360,000, the most expensive filly at the Barretts select sale of 2-year-olds in training at Del Mar.

Saudi Chroma can justify the big-ticket purchase Thursday in a maiden race for fillies at 4 1/2 furlongs. A California-bred by Lucky Pulpit, Saudi Chroma is owned by Amr Zedan and trained by Doug O’Neill.

“She should be tough first time out,” said Dennis O’Neill, Doug’s brother and the bloodstock agent who bought Saudi Chroma. “She’s doing really well. She’s a smart filly. She’s very fast out of the gate.”

Saudi Chroma has had five published workouts at Santa Anita since early April, including a half-mile from the gate in 47.60 seconds last Friday. Victor Espinoza has the mount.

Saudi Chroma is part of a field of seven that includes the first-time starters Cause We Are Loyal and Acharnement.

Cause We Are Loyal, trained by Doug O’Neill, was purchased for $120,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale in March. Cause We Are Loyal will break from the rail.

Acharnement, trained by Eddie Truman, was purchased for $90,000 at the Texas sale of 2-year-olds in training at Lone Star Park last month. Truman has had a fine start to the year with 2-year-olds, having won a maiden race with Argosy Fleet on May 12.