Selcourt looks to get back to winning ways in Desert Stormer

ARCADIA, Calif.– In the first three months of 2018, Selcourt was unbeatable at Santa Anita, winning three consecutive stakes. Sidelined last summer with a minor injury, Selcourt was 12th in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs in November in her lone start in the second half of the year.

This year, Selcourt is winless in three starts, a trend trainer John Sadler hopes will be reversed in Sunday’s Grade 3 Desert Stormer Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs at Santa Anita.

The $100,000 Desert Stormer Stakes will be Selcourt’s third sprint of the year, preceded by second-place finishes in the Kalookan Queen Stakes in January and the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes in February, races she won in 2018.

“We’re trying to get a confidence-building spot,” Sadler said Friday.

Selcourt drew the rail in the Desert Stormer and has only four rivals, including two other graded stakes winners – stablemate Yuvetsi, who has not raced since October, and Danuska’s My Girl, who won the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes on April 7 in her stakes debut.

The two other runners have had success in statebred stakes. Show It N Moe It won the Spring Fever Stakes in February and was third in the Las Flores Stakes, while Smiling Tigress was third in the Evening Jewel Stakes in 2018.

KEY CONTENDERS

Selcourt, by Tiz Wonderful

Last 3 Beyers: 93-96-77

◗ Owned by Keith Abrahams and Medallion Racing, Selcourt was fourth in the Beholder Mile on March 30. She set the pace from an inside position before fading to finish 4 1/4 lengths behind winner Secret Spice.

“The Beholder didn’t go as planned,” Sadler said. “She had a bad trip. We had to use her pretty hard.”

◗ Selcourt has won from the front and from a stalking position. She was a game second to Marley’s Freedom in the Santa Monica, losing by 1 1/4 lengths after leading to the final furlong.

Danuska’s My Girl, by Shackleford

Last 3 Beyers: 95-83-87

◗ A winner of 4 of 13 starts, Danuska’s My Girl won a $62,500 claimer for maidens at Del Mar last July in her eighth start. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Danuska’s My Girl has won her last three starts, leading throughout each race.

◗ In the Las Flores, Danuska’s My Girl pulled clear to win by 3 1/4 lengths in a 20-1 upset.

“It’s one of those things when a horse gets pretty good,” Hollendorfer said.

Yuvetsi, by Bodemeister

Last 3 Beyers: 54-92-79

◗ A 5-year-old, Yuvetsi has not raced since finishing last of five in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs last October. She won two stakes last year, including the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar last August.

“I think she’ll run well,” Sadler said. “She went off form in her last race. Other than that, she had a good campaign. We brought her back at 5 because we think she can do more.”