Vienna takes shot in 3 races
ARCADIA, Calif. - Fresh off an upset victory by Star Cross in Saturday's San Pasqual Handicap, trainer Darrell Vienna takes aim at a trio of races at Santa Anita on Wednesday, which kicks off week three of the winter meeting.
The Wednesday card is surprisingly deep for a weekday, with allowance races making up half of the eight races. Vienna has runners in three of those four races, and while none of them figure to be favored, all of them have a chance.
First up for Vienna is Throw Me Roses in the second race, a six-furlong dash for second-level fillies and mares. Throw Me Roses is returning to the main track after fading in a turf sprint at Hollywood Park on Dec. 18, in her first start in nine months.
"We sent her that day, and I don't know if she liked the turf," Vienna said. "She's run well at Santa Anita before." Throw Me Roses has finished first or second in 3 of 5 starts at Santa Anita. She also figures to improve second time out after a layoff, which was necessitated by a knee injury that did not require surgery, Vienna said.
Vienna next sends out Ordained Magic in the fourth race, a first-level sprint on the hillside turf course for older fillies and mares. As with Throw Me Roses, Ordained Magic is making her second start following a layoff for a knee injury. She finished fourth at Hollywood Park on Dec. 13, her first start in more than 10 months.
"She's been training really well since then," Vienna said.
Ordained Magic finished second last Jan. 30 in her only previous try down the hill.
Vienna will try to win another downhill turf sprint with Moisuisatoi, who drew the rail in the seventh race, a first-level allowance. Moisuisatoi was a sharp second in a similar spot during the Oak Tree meeting. He returns to a sprint after trying a two-turn mile at Hollywood Park last time out.
"He ran well down the hill," Vienna said. "He was off slow, and he had a little traffic trouble. This is what he wants to do. He likes the downhill course."
Moisuisatoi's top rivals include Lydgate, who won a maiden race on this course before taking on graded-stakes sprinters in the Hollywood Turf Express; Leroidesanimaux, Group 1-placed in his native Brazil; and the comebacking Vronsky.
The only allowance race Vienna is sitting out is the sixth, a first-level sprint for older California-breds. Noble Silence, making his first start since May, will be the one to catch.