Three carryovers highlight Thursday card

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sent off at 22-1, Gracious Me finished second in her debut in a six-furlong maiden race at Los Alamitos on Dec. 15. For trainer Vladimir Cerin, the performance felt like a win.

“She wasn’t quite up to going that far and she ran awesome,” Cerin said last weekend.

Gracious Me will have her second start in Thursday’s fifth race at Santa Anita, a maiden race for 3-year-old fillies. Cerin is confident Gracious Me will be ready.

“She’s very professional for a horse that has had one race,” Cerin said.

:: CLOCKER REPORT: Get workout grades and comments for Santa Anita

The maiden race is part of a pick six that offers carryovers in the main pool and single-ticket jackpot pool. The pick six begins in the third race with a carryover of $92,218 in the main pool and $213,717 in the jackpot pool.

The $1 super high five in Thursday’s first race begins with a carryover of $13,886.

The maiden race drew a field of 14 and has a purse of $54,000. It is restricted to fillies bred by their owners or purchased for $100,000 or less at public auction, a new condition introduced at this meeting.

The eight-race program begins at 1 p.m. Pacific, and is the first of five days of racing at Santa Anita through Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

KEY CONTENDERS

Gracious Me, by Into Mischief
Beyer: 80

◗ Owned by breeders Todd and Shawn Hansen, Gracious Me disputed the early pace in the maiden race last month and was beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Ahimsa.

“She has trained well since,” Cerin said.

◗ Cerin said he has been impressed by the filly’s poise.

“She’s very businesslike,” he said. “She does everything she has to do to be better.”

◗ She drew post 12 for Thursday’s race.

Ms Dupree, by Violence

◗ A first-time starter, Ms Dupree was purchased for $80,000 as a weanling at Keeneland in 2015.

◗ Trained by Phil D’Amato for Turnley Farms Louisiana, Ms Dupree has been quick in recent workouts. On Jan. 4, Ms Dupree worked five furlongs from the gate in 1:00.20, her fourth gate workout in the last two months.

“She’s very precocious and very fast,” D’Amato said. “It is her first start, but she’s training very well. She has had some good gate works. Her last gate work was her best and it was on a slow and deep track.

“I think she’ll be on or near the lead.”

The Nine O, by Candy Ride

◗ A first-time starter, The Nine O is barely eligible for the restricted maiden race. She was purchased for $100,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September yearling sale and is owned by Spendthrift Farm.

◗ Trainer Dan Blacker said The Nine O may be better at a longer distance.

“I think she’ll be two turns, but she has class,” Blacker said. “In a 14-horse field, I hope she can get a good experience.”

Gozen, by First Samurai

◗ A first-time starter, Gozen is trained by Mike Machowsky, whose stable won with two of its first five starters at the meeting.

◗ Machowsky said last weekend Gozen could be best as a stalker.

“I haven’t totally pushed her buttons,” he said. “She’s not a big filly, kind of handy. She can sit a little bit.”