Winning Vision will be tested against tougher rivals in comeback
CYPRESS, Calif. – Winning Vision will race in California for the first time Thursday at Los Alamitos, and trainer Molly Pearson recognizes the challenge.
“Obviously the competition is different in Southern California than it is at Turf Paradise,” Pearson said. “And, there is a ton of speed in the race.”
Winning Vision, winner of 2 of 4 starts in Arizona, meets tougher competition in a first-level optional claimer for filly and mare sprinters. Yes, the race is filled with speed. Lucky S. J. is undefeated in two starts and moving up in class; Brilliant Melody is a seven-time winner entered for the $40,000 claim tag; and comebacker Harlington’s Rose is the program favorite.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 9 Harlington's Rose. Trainer Steve Knapp is winless in 15 starts over the past five years with horses returning from a layoff of at least 45 days and shortening from routes to sprints. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Nine are entered in the six-furlong feature, including 10-time winner Backwoods Belle, late-runners Pearl de Vere and Peppy Bolly, and presser On Golden Pawn.
Winning Vision is a front-runner learning to come from behind in workouts. Pearson is not taking away her speed, merely giving the filly another option. A 3-year-old, she has raced only four times.
“I think she’s still in the learning process,” Pearson said. In her most recent drill at Del Mar, Winning Vision did something new.
“She broke off seven lengths behind, closed well, and came up the rail,” Pearson said, emphasizing that Winning Vision will not become a late runner. “She’s one of those speed types; she is going to be close to the lead.”
In her last win, Winning Vision earned a 73 Beyer Speed Figure. That was seven months ago, and it is reasonable to expect she is faster now, six months since her last start. “Hopefully she’s grown up,” Pearson said. “She does tend to be extremely nervous.”
The past six months, the median Beyer by a N1X filly and mare sprint winner in Southern California is 84. At Los Alamitos, however, a Beyer in the high 70s probably would be good enough.
KEY CONTENDERS
Winning Vision (Last 3 Beyers: 54-73- 56)
◗ Kayla Stra will ride Winning Vision, the first time Stra has ridden for Pearson. “I’ve watched her ride for our friend Kory Owens,” Pearson said. “Hopefully she can get her to relax.”
◗ Winning Vision, off nearly six months, runs well fresh. She won her debut by 5 1/2 lengths and won her February comeback also by that margin. She will fire.
Brilliant Melody (Last 3 Beyers: 78-71-69)
◗ She won this condition last time, an optional $40,000 claimer that was her seventh win. Having already won or exceeded this class level four times, Brilliant Melody is an obvious fit on class.
◗ Trainer Vann Belvoir is 8 for 34 (24 percent) over the past year with horses making their first start off a claim. He relocated from Washington three years ago, and since then has won 105 races from 626 starts (17 percent), while producing flat-bet profit ($2.14 return on investment).
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Brilliant Melody. Trainer Vann Belvoir is 4 for 8 with a $3.52 ROI over the past two years after claiming horses and then moving them from synthetic to dirt in their next start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Lucky S. J. (Last 2 Beyers: 77-70)
◗ Phil D’Amato trains Lucky S. J., a debut winner in July at Los Alamitos, then followed that with a California-bred optional-claiming win one month ago at Del Mar.
◗ Lucky S. J. might be the speed of the speed, under Martin Garcia.