Spring Fever called off but an interesting card nonetheless

ARCADIA, Calif. – A maiden race with some well-regarded 3-year-old fillies and a trio of allowance/optional-claiming races, including a second-level turf sprint, highlight the Sunday card at Santa Anita, which is absent a stakes race since so few horses entered the $100,000 Spring Fever for California-bred female sprinters that it was scrapped.

The Spring Fever was in trouble from the time nominations closed on Feb. 13, as only eight were signed up at that point. But the eight-race card on Sunday, which begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific, offers plenty of interest, starting right off the bat with a mile race for 3-year-old maiden fillies that includes the highly regarded Merneith for Bob Baffert and Classy Ruler for John Shirreffs.

Merneith, a daughter of American Pharoah who cost $600,000 as a 2-year-old in training, had trained so strongly before her debut on Jan. 20 that she was sent off the 1-5 favorite against four rivals. But she set a blistering pace in the 6 1/2-furlong race – 21.70 seconds for the quarter and 45.17 for the half – over a deep, tiring track, and she had to settle for second.

“I was very disappointed,” Baffert said Friday morning. “She had the one hole, rushed up, just got really tired. I was flabbergasted, as Mike Tyson would say. She’s come back to work well.”

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Merneith has worked three times since, stretches out, removes blinkers, and gets Joel Rosario, who takes over for the suspended Drayden Van Dyke.

Classy Ruler, a $700,000 yearling buy, has finished second in both her starts and already has experience going two turns. The daughter of Empire Maker has worked five times since her last start on Jan. 5, and Mike Smith rides back.

Race 4, a $59,000 turf sprint going 5 1/2 furlongs, looks like an opportune spot for Whatsontheagenda to get an overdue victory. He crossed the wire third most recently in the Clockers’ Corner at the same distance before getting promoted to second via disqualification. He has finished in the money in 6 of 10 turf sprints, but has yet to win.

His trainer, Doug O’Neill, has another live chance with Murad Khan, a recent claim who is cutting back in distance but has won 7 of 22 lifetime.

Brandothebartender makes his second start following a layoff of nearly six months and returns to his preferred surface for Craig Dollase.

A pair of allowance races close the card.

Race 7, a second-level allowance at one mile on the main track, offers some class relief for Bold Endeavor and California Street, both of whom were overmatched in the Grade 2 San Pasqual last time out Feb. 1.

The finale, a first-level allowance at 1 1/4 miles on turf, drew 10 plus four also-eligibles and includes Southern King and Farquhar, second and third, respectively, at this level going 1 1/8 miles on Jan. 1.