Velvet Mesquite on favorite turf course in Monrovia
ARCADIA, Calif. – The stakes schedule at Santa Anita for the next four months is custom-made for Velvet Mesquite.
A 5-year-old mare, Velvet Mesquite has won 5 of 6 starts over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. She will be favored to improve that record in Sunday’s $200,000 Monrovia Stakes on the hillside.
Owner John Harris and trainer Blake Heap have aimed Velvet Mesquite for the Monrovia in recent months, knowing that the Grade 2 race can lead to further starts on the hillside in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint on Jan. 24, the $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes on March 14, and the $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes on April 11.
The first objective is the Monrovia, which drew a field of 12 older fillies and mares.
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KEY CONTENDERS
Velvet Mesquite (Last 3 Beyers: 77-89-61)
◗ During the Santa Anita autumn meeting, Velvet Mesquite won the California Distaff on the hillside and was second in the Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. The Maddy was scheduled for turf but switched to dirt because of wet conditions.
◗ Heap held Velvet Mesquite out of the Del Mar autumn meeting on purpose.
“There are a bunch of races here, and we freshened her,” he said.
◗ Velvet Mesquite has won 5 of 10 starts. She is most effective when disputing the pace.
“I think she’s fast enough to get a good spot, and then she can sustain a decent run at the end,” Heap said. “She’s pretty agile for a big filly. Somehow, she runs it pretty well.”
Judy In Disguise (Last 3 Beyers: 88-90-87)
◗ Trained by Simon Callaghan, Judy In Disguise won the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course in February 2013 but lost her next nine starts before winning an allowance over seven furlongs on the synthetic track at Del Mar on Nov. 28. The recent win occurred after a layoff of more than 11 months.
◗ During the losing streak, Judy In Disguise was second or third in five stakes, including the 2013 Maddy Stakes on the hillside.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Warm Breeze and No. 11 Judy In Disguise. Trainer Simon Callaghan is 8-3-0-0 with a $4.27 ROI over the past five years going from synthetic to downhill turf sprints at Santa Anita; he’s 24-2-1-4 with a $0.42 ROI in all other downhill turf sprints at the track. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Heat Trap (Last 3 Beyers: 89-89-88)
◗ Heat Trap is another mare who thrives on the hillside, having won 2 of 4 starts over the course. She was second and third in her other two appearances.
◗ In October, Heat Trap was second to Velvet Mesquite in the California Distaff and returned at the end of the month to win an optional claimer on the hillside.
Baruta (Last 3 Beyers: 83-76-80)
◗ Baruta won an optional claimer over a mile on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 28, her first win since arriving in the United States from Brazil in late 2013. Trainer Richard Mandella said Friday that Baruta is not a definite starter in the Monrovia and could run in an allowance race in the coming days.
◗ If she does run in the Monrovia, he thinks she will be effective at the distance.
“I think that’s going to be her best lick,” he said.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Gender Agenda. Trainer Carla Gaines is 25-7-4-4 with a $1.96 ROI over the past five years in downhill turf sprints at Santa Anita when cutting back from a route. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Wishing Gate. Trainer Tom Proctor is 21-6-1-1 with a $2.61 ROI over the past five years in downhill turf sprints at Santa Anita when cutting back from a route. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan