Street Surrender eyes first stakes win in Southern Truce

ARCADIA, Calif. – The bountiful stakes program for main-track fillies and mares at Santa Anita moves forward Sunday with a $75,000 route that attracted a large field compared to recent races for the division.

The Grade 1 Beholder Mile on June 3 was a legitimate thriller won by Stellar Wind. There were three runners. A day later came the Santa Lucia Stakes on June 4, with five runners. The uptrend continues Sunday: the Southern Truce Stakes has attracted a field of six.

While there is no shortage of opportunities, all Street Surrender wants is a fair chance. She did not get it while finishing second in the Santa Lucia, although her trouble, if it can be called that, was self-caused. She got keen, pulled, never was comfortable, and went flat.

With a different trip, Street Surrender could win her first stakes Sunday against an evenly matched field. Nickname stretches out to 1 1/16 miles following two sprints, Desert Madam is up in class after winning a starter allowance carrying 131 pounds, and Shenandoah Queen makes her California debut. The two others are That’s a Lady and Lady Tapit.

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Four entrants are eligible to the second allowance condition, making Street Surrender all the more appealing based on class. Jerry Hollendorfer and assistant Dan Ward train the 5-for-14 filly, a runner-up in back-to-back stakes, including her return to Santa Anita last out.

“It was nice to see she can run a good race on dirt,” Ward said. “It looked like maybe the synthetic and turf moved her up. But she ran a good race on dirt, too, so it gives us more options.”

Evin Roman takes over from Mike Smith, who rides Nickname.

Nickname is running two turns for the first time in more than a year and for the first time since being transferred to Richard Mandella. “She trains like that’s what she wants to do,” Mandella said.

Bill Spawr-trained Skye Diamonds might have been favored in the Southern Truce but will wait for a duel with Finest City and Constellation in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes on July 8 at Los Alamitos. Spawr entered Desert Madam in the Southern Truce.

Desert Madam won her comeback early this month in a $10,000 claiming starter. She drops seven pounds Sunday and carries 124.

KEY CONTENDERS

Street Surrender, by Street Boss
Last 3 Beyers: 87-87-82

◗ She is expected to be more forwardly placed than last time.

Nickname, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 82-87-78

◗ She won the Grade 1 Frizette for Steve Asmussen at Belmont Park in 2015 and finished fourth behind Songbird in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Desert Madam, by Desert Code
Last 3 Beyers: 78-64-83

◗ Spawr claimed Desert Madam for $20,000 in May 2016. Since then, she has won four races and $140,845 from seven starts.