We Will Rock You tries a downhill run
ARCADIA, Calif. - The downhill aspect of Santa Anita's hillside turf course may be what We Will Rock You needs to win her first start in more than seven months at Santa Anita on Thursday.
We Will Rock You won an allowance race going five furlongs on turf at Delaware Park last June, her most recent race. The distance of Thursday's optional claimer, about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf, may be the limit of her ability, according to Nicholas Bachalard, assistant trainer to Christophe Clement.
"I think six furlongs is about as far as she wants to go," he said. "Down the hill will help her. I think it will suit her."
We Will Rock You was bred in Ireland and began her career in France, winning 1 of 5 starts. The Delaware Park race is her only win in three starts in this country. She missed a start earlier at this meeting, Bachalard said.
"She had a temperature, so we waited," he said.
A 5-year-old mare, We Will Rock You is a stalker who should have a pace to follow.
"She's got a big turn of foot," Bachalard said. "She's trained forwardly here."
There will be support for Crown of Diamonds, who has never started on turf and has won 2 of 5 starts. She has not raced since winning a six-furlong allowance race on the main track at Hollywood Park last May. In her brief career, she has shown the ability to race near the front, or just off the pace.
Expensive Art will be making her U.S. debut. A 5-year-old mare now trained by Jim Cassidy, Expensive Art won 5 of 19 starts in England, racing primarily at lesser racecourses. She has won twice on turf in six-furlong races.
Trainer Bobby Frankel will start Pretty Carina, who has won 2 of 5 starts. A 4-year-old filly, Pretty Carina is likely to set the pace. She was third as the 3-2 favorite in a six-furlong allowance race on turf at Hollywood Park on Nov. 19, fading in the final sixteenth.
Two mares eligible to be claimed for $62,500 won their last starts in $50,000 claimers - Heathers-
daddysbaby and Squeeze Me Tight. Heathersdaddysbaby won a one-mile race on turf on Jan. 2 by 3 1/2 lengths after leading by as many as nine lengths on the backstretch. Squeeze Me Tight won a six-furlong race on turf at Hollywood Park on Nov. 5.