Talented filly gets her shot

ALBANY, Calif. - The Camilla Urso, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, was supposed to be run Sunday at Golden Gate Fields, but it was canceled when only one horse - Victorina - was entered.

While Northern California racing fans will miss a chance to see the talented Victorina, they could get an eyeful with the talent on display in the six-furlong $50,000 optional claimer that will serve as Sunday's feature.

Good Time'n Dixie, who ran second to next-out stakes winner Valids Valid on April 14 in her 4-year-old debut, tops the small field.

The 3-year-old Cat Lady, who has never finished off the board sprinting, also is entered, along with the stakes winner Louis Leggs and the stakes-placed stablemates Snowdrop and Just a Tizzy.

Good Time'n Dixie has made only three starts and has the talent to become a stakes winner.

"The physical tools are all there," said Steve Sherman, who handles his father Art's Northern California operation. "She could be a good filly, but mentally she hasn't caught up to her physical ability."

Good Time'n Dixie is nervous, a stall walker who never settles down.

"She's her own worst enemy," Sherman said, "but she's a lightly raced 4-year-old, and she may simply be one that matures late."

Good Time'n Dixie was an easy winner last year of her first two starts. Following an allowance victory at 3-10 at Pleasanton in her second start, she went to the sidelines for nine months with sore knees that didn't require surgery.

She set the pace in her comeback before Valids Valid passed her late. Valids Valid went on to win the Tuzla at Hollywood Park.

"I was disappointed at first, but that horse ran huge again, so maybe the race wasn't that bad," Sherman said.

Good Time'n Dixie did finish 2 1/4 lengths in front of Cat Lady, who came back to edge Snowdrop for second in her next start and looms as the one Sherman says his filly has to beat.

Victorina looking for next start

Victorina, a graded stakes winner with $409,303 in earnings, was the only entrant among the nine nominees in the Camilla Urso.

Victorina's trainer, Greg Gilchrist, was not surprised the stakes didn't go.

"She's ready to run," he said. "She's never been to the farm since she got here as a 2-year-old. We let her tell us when she's ready.

"We just hope we have a place to run her here, but if not, we'll call FedEx and go some place."