Spring Fever return spot for Harlington’s Rose

ARCADIA, Calif. – From September to March, Harlington’s Rose ran eight times and won the first two stakes of her career, including the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes on March 8.

The active campaign led to a brief vacation that ends in Saturday’s $150,000 Spring Fever Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at Santa Anita. With the drop in class from a graded stakes to statebred competition, trainer Steve Knapp expects a win.

“I would expect her to run a big race,” Knapp said. “She loves what’s going on. I worked her in company, and she’s sharp right now.”

Last winter, Harlington’s Rose won the Kalookan Queen Stakes and was third in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes. The Spring Fever Stakes will be the 11th stakes appearance of her career. Harlington’s Rose has won 4 of 21 starts and earned $371,040.

The six-furlong Spring Fever Stakes is one of five six-figure stakes for California-breds on Saturday’s program.

The day is led by the $200,000 Snow Chief Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The expected field of 11 is led by Grazen Sky and Pulmarack, who were first and second in the Silky Sullivan Stakes at Golden Gate Fields on April 26, and Richard’s Boy, who won the Desert Code Stakes on the hillside turf course on May 2.