St Trinians to miss Hirsch; no rematch with Zenyatta

DEL MAR, Calif. - St Trinians, who gave the undefeated champion Zenyatta a scare in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park in June before losing by a half-length, will miss an expected start in the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 7 because of soreness, trainer Mike Mitchell said on Saturday.

St Trinians will be turned out and pointed for a 2011 campaign, Mitchell said. The decision was reached on Saturday after consulting with owners Dan Capen and Laura Chavers.

"We're not going to run," Mitchell said. "I blew her out at Hollywood Park and I brought her down here and she's body sore and stiff. If I were to blame it on anything, I'd blame it on taking on Zenyatta."

St Trinians had had two workouts since the Vanity, the most recent of which was a five-furlong breeze in 1:03 on July 10.

Mitchell said he discussed St Trinians's situation with the owners on Saturday. "I said, 'If she's not right, I don't want to run her if she's not 100 percent,'" Mitchell said. "We'll give her a break, no more than three months. I'll probably get my hands on her in November or December.

"She's earned it. I think she can be useful next year."

St Trinians has won 7 of 13 starts and $308,587, with the bulk of the earnings coming this year. A 5-year-old British-bred mare by Piccolo, St Trinians won two stakes at the Santa Anita winter meeting - the minor Paseana Handicap and the Grade 1 Santa Maria Handicap, beating 2009 Breeders' Cup Ladies Distaff winner Life Is Sweet in the latter race.

St Trinians started in the Santa Anita Handicap against males on March 6 and finished sixth as the 3-1 favorite, 6 3/4 lengths behind race winner Misremembered. Following that race, Mitchell targeted the Vanity Handicap as a late spring goal for St Trinians.

In the Vanity at 1 1/8 miles, St Trinians closed from fifth to take the lead in early stretch. She led by a half-length at the eighth pole and was only caught by Zenyatta in the last sixteenth. Zenyatta carried top weight of 129 pounds in the Vanity, nine more than St Trinians.

Mitchell said that if he pressed St Trinians into a start in the Clement Hirsch, which is run at 1 1/16 miles at equal weights, she would probably not run well.

"If there is ever going to be a time she'll bounce, it's this time," he said

Mitchell has tentative plans to start St Trinians in the major stakes for older fillies and mares in California in 2011 when Zenyatta, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, is scheduled to be retired and bred.

"I hope the Mosses stick to their guns and retire that mare," Mitchell said.