Yana, Sheer Pleasure back from breaks
ARCADIA, Calif. – Rain from the wet-weather phenomenon El Niño arrived in California last week, wreaking havoc with the Santa Anita racing program by causing a weeklong suspension of grass racing.
More than five inches of rain fell this week at Santa Anita; none of the 10 grass races scheduled for Jan. 7-10 was used, including three for Sunday. Instead, the week will end with another all-dirt card, topped by split divisions of a first-level allowance for female sprinters.
Santa Anita horse for course Yana returns from a two-month freshening for hot trainer Bill Spawr (3 for 7 at the meet through Thursday) as the horse to beat in race 6. The stakes winner Sheer Pleasure returns from a five-month layoff for trainer Phil D’Amato in race 8. Both races are at 6 1/2 furlongs.
KEY CONTENDERS
Race 6
Yana
(Last 3 Beyers: 73-78-40)
◗ Yana, 3 for 16 overall, has two wins and three seconds from seven starts on the Santa Anita main track.
◗ She has not won first out or returning from a layoff but has three seconds in six starts running fresh. The Sunday allowance is her first start since Nov. 8.
◗ The jockey-trainer combination of Agapito Delgadillo and Spawr is among the most productive on the circuit. Over the past five years, they are 46 for 240 (19 percent) together, producing a $2.24 return for each $2 win bet.
Cadet Roni
(Last 3 Beyers: 80-80-56)
◗ The fastest horse in the field based on recent figures, Cadet Roni is racing for the first time since Nov. 13.
◗ After she finished nowhere close in her first five starts, trainer Mark Glatt put blinkers on Cadet Roni. Her four starts with blinkers include two wins and a third.
◗ Rafael Bejarano rides. He and Glatt are 44 for 194 (23 percent) over the past five years while generating a minor flat-bet profit ($2.04 return on investment).
Race 8
Sheer Pleasure
(Last 3 Beyers: 69-81-86)
◗ The winner of the $196,000 Melair Stakes and the $201,000 Evening Jewel Stakes last spring at Santa Anita, Sheer Pleasure is making her first start since July.
◗ Sheer Pleasure is 3 for 7 overall and won both of her starts when fresh – her career debut and returning from a short layoff last spring. D’Amato’s comebackers typically are ready to fire. He is 23 for 93 (25 percent) with horses returning from a layoff of 90 days or more, generating a $2.45 ROI.
Lily Pod
(Last 3 Beyers: 72-81-83)
◗ The potential speed of the field, Lily Pod ran the best race of her career the only time she started at Santa Anita. That was a maiden win last fall. Lily Pod is trained by Richard Baltas and will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez.
My Fiona
(Last 3 Beyers: 70-66-80)
◗ My Fiona won three stakes at 2 but made only one start last year at age 3, finishing third in an allowance. My Fiona is now trained by Gary Sherlock.