Treadmill tries turf in return

ARCADIA, Calif. - Treadmill's comeback from a break of more than nine months in an optional claimer on turf at Santa Anita on Thursday presents several questions for trainer Craig Dollase.

"She's trained right along," Dollase said. "Let's see how she handles the grass and handles the hill."

Owned by Paul Reddam, Treadmill has won 2 of 5 starts. She won the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes at Del Mar in July 2007, but ran poorly in two subsequent starts.

Treadmill failed to finish the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in September 2007 after apparently being kicked during the race.

"She got run down from behind," Dollase said.

She returned in the final week of the year in the California Breeders' Champion Stakes at Santa Anita, but finished last of nine.

"She had a little setback," Dollase said.

Thursday's race will be Treadmill's first start on turf. The race for fillies and mares will be run at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course.

"I'm curious to get her on the grass," Dollase said.

Treadmill has displayed the ability to stalk the pace in most of her starts, a style that could be effective in her comeback. Whatsitgonnatake, Simply Run, and Mini Do could be part of the pace.

Mini Do won a maiden race on the hillside turf course here in March and an optional claimer at Hollywood Park in April, but has lost her last two starts in stakes. She was sixth in a division of the Daisycutter Handicap at Del Mar on Sept.o3.

"She was in the one-hole and got left," trainer Julio Canani said.

Canani also starts Porto Marmay, who was scratched from the Harold Ramser Handicap here last Saturday.

"That was too tough," Canani said.

A closer, Porto Marmay was a stakes winner in Ireland last year but is winless in four starts in this country.

"One is a stretch-runner and the other speed," Canani said. "I hope they meet at the wire."

Five of the nine fillies and mares are entered to be claimed for $62,500. Two of them - Brendolyn and Dona Amelia - will attract support.

Brendolyn won a $62,500 claimer at a mile on turf at Del Mar in July and has run well on the hillside turf course in the past. Dona Amelia was third in the Las Madrinas Handicap at 1 1/16 miles at Fairplex Park last month.