ARCADIA, Calif. – Cloe is fast in Florida, but can she last in California?
After dominating a pair of short sprints at Gulfstream Park, front-runner Cloe shipped early this week to Santa Anita and on Sunday will try to carry her speed 6 1/2 furlongs in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course.
The Senorita distance can be challenging for a kamikaze front-runner, but trainer Jose D’Angelo believes the hillside turf sprint is just right for Cloe. “It’s the perfect race to try to handle the six and one-half furlongs,” D’Angelo said. “We know she can go a little longer.”
Based on a flashy turf stakes victory last month going five furlongs, Cloe is likely to start favored over six locals in the $100,000 Senorita. Those include pace rival Jungle Peace, stakes-placed Amorita, and Schilflied. Velocity, Polythene Pam, and Maximun Gold are also entered.
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The race centers around Cloe, the likely pacesetter who won her sprint debut for trainer Victor Barboza, then finished nowhere in a route. Cloe subsequently changed trainers, and D’Angelo chose the $100,000 Melody of Colors Stakes at five furlongs on turf.
“She had the [entry-level] condition open, but she was training so good she deserved a shot in the stakes,” D’Angelo said. “We did that, and she responded very well.”
Cloe sped to the lead, was hounded through a fast pace of 21.32 and 43.19 seconds and won by 1 3/4 lengths under jockey Luis Saez, who rides her again Sunday. To win the Senorita from the inside post, Cloe must put away a pace rival drawn directly outside.
Jungle Peace has won both of her U.S. starts, in maiden and allowance turf sprints, for trainer Phil D’Amato and jockey Umberto Rispoli. Jungle Peace wired the allowance. She won her U.S. debut from a pressing position, which is her likely trip Sunday. Jungle Peace will keep Cloe honest, and would be the first to pounce if the pacesetter falters.
Amorita looms an off-the-pace contender as trainer Richard Mandella shortens her in distance. Runner-up last out in the China Doll Stakes at a mile on turf, Amorita typically races on or near the lead in routes. Back sprinting on Sunday, Amorita and jockey Juan Hernandez are likely to be outfooted early. They could tuck into a great trip positioned third.
Schilflied, trained by Paddy Gallagher, is the only Senorita starter who has raced on the hill. She won an entry-level allowance over the course last out after finishing second to Jungle Peace on the main oval.
The Senorita was shortened in distance two years ago. Previously a turf mile, the Senorita became a turf sprint in 2023 when Mandella-trained Teena Ella won. Last year’s upset winner was Librado Barocio-trained Visually, who paid $36. Barocio will try for his second route-to-sprint Senorita upset Sunday with Polythene Pam, third last out in the Arizona Oaks at Turf Paradise.
Entering the weekend, seven of the last 21 hillside turf sprints were won by the pacesetter. If she stays the trip, Cloe can be long gone.
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