Wild At Heart, Perfect Pic may run in LA Woman
CYPRESS, Calif. - Wild At Heart ran so well in an optional claimer at Los Alamitos on Saturday that she is now rated as a candidate for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 5.
The lightly raced Wild At Heart ($7.20) had an ideal trip under jockey Mike Smith to finish 1 1/4 lengths in front of 2-5 favorite Perfect Pic, who broke slowly in the six-furlong race.
Wild At Heart has run three times in the last 17 months. She was third in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April 2015 and third in an optional claimer at Santa Anita last March. Trainer Richard Mandella said Wild at Heart did not have any major injuries during that time.
“We were desperate to get a race in her,” Mandella said. “She had nothing serious, just some problems.”
Mandella said the $100,000 LA Woman Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Oct. 9 is a “possibility” for Wild At Heart, who races for Ramona Bass.
“It’s why I wanted to get a race into her,” he said.
Perfect Pic may start in the Grade 3 LA Woman, trainer Jim Cassidy said. Perfect Pic broke at the back of the field and closed between runners to be closest to the front at the finish, a trip that left Cassidy frustrated.
“We’re talking about the LA Woman,” Cassidy said. “She came out of it better than I did. She certainly got an education.”
Saturday’s race was Perfect Pic’s second start after a maiden race win by 10 1/4 lengths at Del Mar on Aug. 26. The filly is owned by Deron Pearson, who purchased her for $110,000 as a yearling in 2014.