Warren's Showtime may try dirt with Betty Grable Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - After a 2021 season defined by success on turf, Warren’s Showtime may switch surfaces next month following her win in Saturday’s $100,500 California Distaff Handicap on Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.

Trainer Craig Lewis said Sunday that the 4-year-old Warren’s Showtime is a candidate for the $100,000 Betty Grable Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at seven furlongs on dirt at Del Mar on Nov. 7.

“We’ll have to see how she comes out of it,” Lewis said. “She has remarkably terrific recuperating power.”

The Grable would be Warren’s Showtime’s first start on dirt since a second in the race last year. Earlier this year, Warren’s Showtime won the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

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Warren’s Showtime won her seventh stakes in the California Distaff, her first start at about 6 1-2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. The course was not used from March 2019 until earlier this month at the discretion of track officials after an accident occurred in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes in 2019.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Warren’s Showtime closed from last of six to win by three-quarters of a length over stretch leader Sedamar. Warren’s Showtime won without being urged in the final strides.

“He geared her down,” Lewis said. “She seems to like that hillside.”

Sprint stakes on the hillside could figure into Warren’s Showtime’s 2022 campaign for owners and breeders Ben and Sally Warren, Lewis said. Warren’s Showtime has won 8 of 22 starts and has earned $775,431.

“She stays in training as long as she’s sound,” Lewis said.