Vincero Grande focuses on Campanile Stakes victory
The addition of blinkers has given the 3-year-old filly Vincero Grande enhanced focus, said trainer Andy Mathis, and has led to her first stakes appearance in Sunday’s $75,000 Campanile Stakes for 3-year-old California-bred fillies at Golden Gate Fields.
Vincero Grande has won 2 of 5 starts and is owned by SLO Racing Stable. The filly displayed her best performance with a win by 3 1/2 lengths in an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles at Golden Gate on March 18.
“That was the first race with blinkers,” Mathis said on Friday. “In her other races, she wasn’t 100 percent forward. She kind of ran in sections. She seemed occupied by other things in the race.
“I think with the blinkers it has made her a little more tactical.”
Vincero Grande will need all tactical advantages in an open running of the Campanile Stakes at a mile on turf. The ninth race on a 10-race program that begins at 12:45 p.m. Pacific, the Campanile drew a field of eight, including Vaping Angel, the 25-1 winner of the Pike Place Dancer Stakes against open company at a mile on turf last October, and Ellamira, a troubled fourth in two turf stakes at Santa Anita earlier this year.
Vincero Grande has not raced on turf, but is a full sister to Big Mama Sue, a three-time winner on the surface.
“We’ve always thought turf for her,” Mathis said. “A mile might be slightly on the short side, but I think it’s a good spot for her.”
Ellamira will pose a significant danger from a stalking position. Trained by Steve Specht, Ellamira was beaten 2 3/4 lengths after racing in traffic in the stretch of the Grade 3 Sweet Life Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Feb. 12. Ellamira has since finished fourth against open company in an allowance race at a mile on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on March 19.
“She had a couple of rough trips down south,” Specht said. “She’ll be tough in there.”
Specht has three runners in the field, including expected pacesetter Sen Sen and Tam’s Little Angel, who is likely to race as a stalker.
“I think they’re pretty equal,” Specht said.
The Campanile Stakes is the second of two $75,000 stakes for statebred 3-year-olds on Sunday. The Silky Sullivan Stakes at a mile drew a field of six, including Worse Read Sanchez, who was third in an allowance race for statebreds at Santa Anita on April 17, and Royal ’n Rando, who was fourth in an allowance race on turf against open company for Specht at Golden Gate Fields on April 1.
“I don’t see any superstars in that race,” Specht said. “I think he’s live. We’ll take a shot.”
Worse Read Sanchez drew the rail and should be closing for jockey Armando Ayuso.
“He’s been very honest and very straightforward to train,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “It looks like there is good speed in there to help his stretch run.”