Tom's Regret looks for fast start in first Santa Anita juvenile race of 2022
ARCADIA, Calif. – Speed is the game Friday at Santa Anita, where the card opens with the meet’s first race for 2-year-olds and includes the first route for Funny Feline. Both races, the maiden opener and seventh-race allowance, are likely to be won by the pacesetter.
California-bred juvenile fillies will debut at 4 1/2 furlongs in the first race, and Tom’s Regret has displayed the essential attribute to win an abbreviated sprint for maiden 2-year-olds.
“Yes, she has speed,” trainer Jorge Periban said. Smokin Amelia “has speed, too, but not the same as” Tom’s Regret.
Tyler Baze has worked Tom’s Regret, and he rides her Friday in a six-runner field that includes four sired by first-crop stallion Smokem. Tom’s Regret, by Tom’s Tribute, will use her speed in a race historically dominated by front-runners.
At 4 1/2 furlongs, eight of the nine juvenile maiden races last spring at Santa Anita were won by the pacesetter. The past five years, pacesetters won 31 of 51 (60 percent) at the distance. Tom’s Regret is likely to contest the pace.
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The quickest of the four Smokem fillies may be One Smokin Moon, trained by Walther Solis. She posted a 35.20-second bullet gate workout at San Luis Rey Downs early this month, and last week at Santa Anita worked a bullet three furlongs in 36 seconds. Diego Herrera rides One Smokin Moon.
Before he entered stud, Smokem won his career debut as a 2017 juvenile, followed by four runner-up finishes in California-bred stakes. Although he matured early and won first time out, Smokem was not quick. He rallied from the middle or back of the field in all five starts.
Others sired by Smokem include Smokin Amelia, It’s Saul Right, and Paytricia. The field also includes Solis-trained Reign Song, by Stay Thirsty.
After the 2-year-olds run for the first time, Funny Feline will try two turns for the first time in the featured seventh race. Based on her front-running maiden win last out in a turf sprint, Funny Feline is the one to catch in the turf mile for California-bred 3-year-old fillies. Brian Koriner trains Funny Feline, whose pre-race antics so far have been manageable.
“She’s a space cadet, she’s really hard to handle in the paddock,” Koriner said.
On the racetrack, Funny Feline is fairly well behaved. Mike Smith rode her to a front-running maiden sprint win last out, and Koriner expects the filly will use her speed again Friday.
“She’s not a runaway,” Koriner said. “I think she’ll come back to him. I think she’ll do what he wants.”
Funny Feline is sired by sprinter Smiling Tiger, but her siblings include route stakes winners North County Guy and Cordiality. A mile should be with within reach, though pacesetters repeatedly have been stymied this meet in turf miles with the rails at Friday’s 20-foot setting. Only 3 of 23 were won by the pacesetter.
Other entrants include stakes-placed Madiha, stretch-out Rose Maddox, Exactly Wendy, Gianna’s Wild Cats, Girl Ranger, and Emerald Lake.