Three Hearts fits better at Santa Barbara distance
ARCADIA, Calif. – When Three Hearts won her California debut in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar in November, everything went her way. She had an ideal trip at a distance that best suits the filly – 1 3/8 miles on turf.
Three Hearts was third and second in consecutive graded stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf during the winter, and she’s back in a longer race in Saturday’s $150,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita.
The Santa Barbara and the Red Carpet are the sort of races that trainer Neil Drysdale has set as goals for Three Hearts.
Three Hearts, 5, breaks from the rail in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara, which drew a field of nine. Aside from Three Hearts, Diversy Harbor, Fanticola, Queen of The Sand, and Walk Close are part of the field and have won stakes in the last year.
Santa Barbara, race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Three Hearts (Last 3 Beyers: 89-86-90)
◗ Three Hearts will be ridden by Tyler Baze, who was aboard the mare for a third to Lady Pimpernel in the Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes on Dec. 27 and a second to Hoop of Colour in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes on March 15. Those races were at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
◗ Three Hearts led in the stretch of the Santa Ana and was beaten three-quarters of a length. A longer race might have made a difference, Drysdale said.
“That was a bit short for her,” he said. “I think 10 [furlongs] is more suitable, and I think 12 is more suitable than 10.”
The problem is that turf races at 1 1/4 miles, or 10 furlongs, and 1 1/2 miles, or 12 furlongs, are rare in California for fillies and mares.
“I think later in the year, she may have to get on the bus,” Drysdale said.
◗ Baze is likely to have Three Hearts near the front.
Diversy Harbor (Last 3 Beyers: 85-94-87)
◗ Diversy Harbor, trained by Tom Proctor, won the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at a mile Feb. 16 and was only sixth as the 5-2 favorite in the Santa Ana Stakes, losing by 2 3/4 lengths. Jockey Gary Stevens said he was frustrated with himself after that race.
“She needs cover, and I got shuffled all the way back,” he said. “She can get aggressive. If there is no pace, I want to be close up and get some cover. I have to have something to follow. She wants to do too much if she sees daylight. The most important part of the race for me may be the first quarter-mile.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Diversy Harbor. Trainer Tom Proctor is 25-2-4-3 with a $0.39 ROI over the past two years in graded stakes on turf of 10 furlongs and longer in the third start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
Habibi (Last 2 Beyers: 85-70)
◗ A New Zealand-bred, Habibi has run only twice in two years because of injury. She was third in a one-mile optional claimer March 22 in her first start for trainer Richard Mandella and her first race since last June. In 2013, Habibi won the Group 1 New Zealand Derby at 1 1/2 miles against males.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Habibi. Trainer Richard Mandella is 18-1-2-1 with a $0.27 ROI over the past five years in turf route graded stakes in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Fanticola. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 27-5-2-2 with a $4.97 ROI over the past two years going sprint to route on turf. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Walk Close. Finished sixth in a field of 14 last out in the Grade 2 Mrs Revere, and runners from that race went 9-4-1-0 in their immediate next starts, winning three stakes races. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan