ARCADIA, Calif. – A sure sign spring has arrived at Santa Anita is the season’s first maiden race for 2-year-olds on Friday. As usual, trainer Jorge Periban, stallion Stay Thirsty, and breeder Terry Lovingier are smack in the middle of the action.
California-bred juvenile fillies led by the Periban-trained My Love Caroline race 4 1/2 furlongs in race 4 as the juvenile season begins Friday with familiar overtones. Four of the eight entrants are sired by Stay Thirsty and five were bred by Lovingier, including My Love Caroline.
“She’s got a lot of speed,” Periban said.
Others believed to be precocious include the Stay Thirsty fillies Tapatia Mia, trained by Steve Knapp, and Bella Chavela, trained by Steve Miyadi. The program favorite, somewhat surprisingly, is Cara Rose. Miyadi trains the daughter of high-percent debut stallion Caravaggio, whose juvenile progeny have won 21 percent first time out.
The juvenile maiden program continues Sunday in race 3, a California-bred maiden race. Four of the seven entered are Stay Thirsty colts bred by Lovingier, including Knapp-trained Fionello, a $250,000 yearling from a productive family. Fionello’s dam My Fiona won three stakes and produced stakes winners Finneus and Fi Fi Pharoah.
First up is the baby race Friday, and the beginning of a season to which Periban looks forward. “That’s my goal, the babies,” he said. The past five seasons, Periban is 4 for 18 with 2-year-olds racing 4 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita. His recent early season maiden winners include subsequent stakes winners Phantom Boss, At the Spa, and Tom’s Regret.
Periban said My Love Caroline has worked well under jockey Armando Ayuso and is sufficiently schooled. Periban popped her from the gate three times before her first official gate workout. “That’s the first thing you have to do, get ready from the gate,” Periban said.
While expectations are My Love Caroline will run well Friday, Periban is especially bullish on another juvenile filly nearing her debut. Smokin Ally, by Smokem, posted her first gate workout last weekend, a half-mile in a sharp 47.80 seconds. “She’s been showing me a lot of talent, a lot of ability,” Periban said of Smokin Ally.
Tapatia Mia makes her debut Friday for Knapp, who has won with four of his last nine juvenile first-time starters at 4 1/2 furlongs. Tapatia Mia is a sibling to stakes winner Cholula Lips, who also won first time out. Tiago Pereira has the mount from post 4.
While the springtime launch of 2-year-olds is fun, the 2025 season begins with uncertainty due to the lack of opportunities for juvenile maiden winners. The $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Futurity and $100,000 Debutante at Santa Anita were scrapped last year. The cessation of racing in Northern California eliminates the Everett Nevin Stakes traditionally run at Pleasanton in early July.
The spring stakes schedule at Santa Anita does not include a stakes race for 2-year-olds, nor does the Los Alamitos meet that begins June 20. The next opportunity for juvenile maiden winners in California is at the Del Mar summer meet that begins July 18.
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