Teddy's Barino gets chance to make amends for flop as favorite

ARCADIA, Calif. – Teddy’s Barino did not achieve bettors’ expectations when she finished fifth of six at 7-5 in an allowance race on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in her 2022 debut on April 3.

“She acted like she needed the race,” trainer Mark Glatt said.

A month later, Glatt is essentially starting over with Teddy’s Barino when the 4-year-old filly starts in an allowance race for California-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs on dirt at Santa Anita. Despite her recent loss, Teddy’s Barino is likely to be favored in a field of eight.

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Glatt admits race conditions Friday are not ideal for Teddy’s Barino, who races for Red Baron’s Barn and Alan and Bonnie Cummings.

“I wanted to run a mile on turf or dirt, and neither was available,” Glatt said.

In her comeback against California-breds on April 3, Teddy’s Barino stalked the pace, but offered no threat in the stretch, finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind Bella D, who returned to win an allowance race against open company May 1.

Friday, Teddy’s Barino will be ridden for the first time by Mike Smith, a replacement for top jockey Flavien Prat, who departed California earlier this spring. Last year, Teddy’s Barino had only two starts, winning a maiden race at six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita in June and finishing second in the Fleet Treat Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs at Del Mar last July.

Teddy’s Barino set the pace in the Fleet Treat and was near the front in the April 3 race. In Friday’s race, Pray for My Owner and Race Judicata are likely to be near the front.

Pray for My Owner, also trained by Glatt, was last of six in an allowance race for statebred fillies and mares at six furlongs on April 1 in her first start since June.

Race Judicata was third in the same race as Pray for My Owner in her second start of 2022. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Race Judicata led throughout winning consecutive starts in March and April of 2021.

Aside from Teddy’s Barino, the only runner with recent stakes experience is Drizella, one of two 3-year-old fillies in the field. Drizella was second in the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes at Del Mar last August and third in the Royal Owl Stakes at Los Alamitos last September when trained by Luis Mendez.

Drizella has not raced since she finished last of five in the Golden Gate Debutante in November. Since then, Drizella was bought for $35,000 at the CTBA winter mixed sale in January and transferred to trainer Jeff Bonde. The new owners are Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje.

Earlier this spring, Drizella had fast workouts at a half-mile in 47 seconds on April 3 and 47.40 seconds on April 10.

“She’s trained well for the race,” Bonde said. “She’s got a lot of speed.”

Success on Friday could lead to stakes later this year, such as the Fleet Treat Stakes on July 28 at Del Mar.

“If she’ll progress, that’s where we’d like to be,” Bonde said.