Taris, Unforgettable U try to show they’re worthy of BC berth
ARCADIA, Calif. – Who will ship from California to Kentucky for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint?
The answer will be clear Sunday at Santa Anita, where the graded stakes winner Taris and the improving allowance filly Unforgettable U race 6 1/2 furlongs in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes. Five were entered in the $100,000 filly-and-mare sprint, with ramifications that exceed the grade and purse. Taris is the likely favorite and must deliver a top effort to earn a start in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
“She needs to win or run a really, really good race,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “She’s obviously the most accomplished filly in the field, but it’s not a gimme. There are some fillies in there that have run some pretty good Beyers.”
Unforgettable U’s back-to-back Beyer Speed Figures of 99 and 100 top the field and coincide with a trainer change to Richard Baltas. Yes, he has looked ahead to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
“If she wins this race, we’ll see if we can get in,” Baltas said.
The others entered in the L.A. Woman are Wasted at Midnight, Ben’s Duchess, and Uzziel.
But most of the attention will be on Taris and Unforgettable U. The handicapping question is simple – class or speed?
Taris, 5 for 7, has a tactical advantage from the outside post under Gary Stevens. It is her second start following a seven-month layoff and her first start since a Grade 3 comeback win in August. Her trainer expects better Sunday.
“She’s worked really good since,” Callaghan said. “I feel like she’s moved forward.”
None in the field has worked faster than Unforgettable U since she won a first-level allowance by more than seven lengths Sept. 7.
Last Sunday, Unforgettable U worked five furlongs in 58.20 seconds and galloped out six furlongs in 1:09 and change under jockey Edwin Maldonado.
“I’ve never had a horse work that good in my life – never,” Baltas said. “And [Maldonado] was just standing up on her.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Taris
(Last 3 Beyers: 91-86-110)
◗ Purchased for $2.35 million at auction last November, Taris subsequently finished second in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26. She came out of the race with an ankle injury that required a screw and seven months off.
◗ Taris returned Aug. 16 at Del Mar, winning the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo by almost three lengths, ridden out.
“We hadn’t cranked on her at all for the race,” Callaghan said. “She still did it pretty easily.”
Unforgettable U
(Last 3 Beyers: 99-100-60)
◗ A challenge for Unforgettable U is the inside post.
“I love the horse; I’m disappointed with the post,” Baltas said. “But it’s not like there’s 10 horses in there. There are only five horses.”
◗ Unforgettable U benefitted from outside posts in both of her starts for Baltas.
“She hasn’t been on the inside in a long time,” he said. “She has plenty of speed out of the gate, and we have the right rider. [Maldonado] is very good at getting horses out of the gate.”
◗ Unforgettable U has won 2 of 9.