ARCADIA, Calif. – Fresh horses are the focus Sunday at Santa Anita on a card that begins with a two-day carryover of $77,347 in the pick six after the bet went unhit Friday and Saturday.
Debut 2-year-olds, a European mare making her second U.S. start in a turf stakes, and comeback sprinters in a salty allowance are the most compelling runners on the program. By chance, the most probable winner might be in the richest race.
Irish import Starry Heavens is positioned to knock off Mrs. Astor in the $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes, race 4. The turf marathon attracted six fillies and mares, though not all are confirmed to start. As for the undercard races, they are at least as interesting as the stakes.
California-bred maiden 2-year-olds launch their careers in race 3. Trump Era has worked like a colt that can defeat well-regarded Fionello in the 4 1/2-furlong dash. Race 9 is an allowance sprint in which trainer Mark Glatt entered three, including comebackers Judge Miller and Traegar.
The 6 1/2-furlong allowance is significant, because it marks the return of graded stakes-placed Judge Miller, unraced since finishing third last May in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita. The layoff is less worry than post position, according to Judge Miller’s trainer.
“He drew the dreaded rail, so that’s a bit of a disadvantage,” Glatt said, and though Judge Miller runs best around two turns, Glatt said, “I don’t think it’s impossible for him to win sprinting.”
Antonio Fresu rides 2-for-5 Judge Miller, Grade 3 runner-up prior to his Gold Cup third.
Judge Miller is the best horse, but Glatt also expects Traegar and Ultimate Gamble to fire.
“All three are training really good,” he said. “I expect all three to run well off the break, knock a little rust off, get a race, then strategize from there where we might go and how their summers might look.”
Traegar has not started since November 2023. Ultimate Gamble has been off since July and prefers two turns.
“I don’t think there’s any question about that, but horses do things that they wouldn’t normally do when they are fresh and coming off a layoff,” Glatt said. “I expect him to make a run. It wouldn’t surprise me if it was good enough.”
Glatt may soon be loaded with older horses in the handicap and sprint divisions. Dr. Venkman, winner of the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap last summer at Del Mar, worked a bullet five furlongs in 58.60 seconds on Monday and is nearing his comeback.
As for the Santa Barbara, its relevance is marginal. At 1 1/2 miles on turf, it rarely attracts the top female turf runners. Mrs. Astor won a pair of Grade 3 turf races last year and finished second in her comeback. However, the fresh Starry Heaven commands attention.
Starry Heaven, trained by Phil D’Amato, was making her U.S., debut, and first start in eight months, when she challenged for the lead into the stretch before tiring to third in the Grade 3 Santa Ana on March 15. With that solid prep under her belt, Starry Heavens and Fresu can upset Mrs. Astor and Umberto Rispoli.
Others in the Santa Barbara include Sophisticate, Sakura Blossom, Mahina, and Khinjani.
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