Synthetic tryout for Sahadi filly
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - Gotta Have Her was third in two turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita earlier this year, the foundation for a promising 2007 season on that surface.
But trainer Jenine Sahadi wonders if there is more to Gotta Have Her's ability than racing well on turf. She wants to know what Gotta Have Her can accomplish on Hollywood Park's synthetic track.
Friday, Gotta Have Her makes her debut on that surface in a $51,000 allowance race for fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles. If Gotta Have Her wins, she could be pointed to stakes on the Cushion Track, Sahadi said.
"She's never run on it," Sahadi said. "I want to find out. I'm desperate to find out."
Gotta Have Her will be ridden by Richard Migliore, who has been aboard for her three races this year, a maiden win on the hillside turf course and third-place finishes in the China Doll and Grade 3 Providencia Stakes over a mile on turf.
"If she does what Richie thinks she can do, we won't be limited to just the turf," Sahadi said.
At the least, Gotta Have Her has worked well on the synthetic surface. She zipped five furlongs in 59.60 seconds April 26, the quickest of 41 recorded works at the distance.
In the turf stakes, Gotta Have Her raced on the lead and from off the pace. Sahadi said she is better suited to racing from off the pace.
"Her first route of ground I didn't want her on the lead and she wound up there," she said. "The next time she settled a
little to well. I thought there would be more pace in there."
Gotta Have Her is one of two
3-year-old fillies in the field. The other, Silent Fusaichi, is making her first start on a synthetic track, having finished last in her first two starts in this country.
Sweet Way, who probably should be unbeaten, is certain to be well-supported.
Trained by John Shirreffs, Sweet Way won her debut by two lengths here last July over 1 1/16 miles and was a troubled fourth in an allowance race over a mile on turf at Del Mar last August.
In that race, she was shuffled to the back of the field on the final turn and rallied wide to miss by a length. Like Gotta Have Her and Silent Fusaichi, Sweet Way is based at Hollywood Park and has extensive experience training on the synthetic surface.