American Pharoah earned his first career win in outstanding fashion last
time, romping by 4 3/4 lengths in the Del Mar Futurity, and the highly promising
youngster will look to confirm his status as the leading contender for the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile when he lines up for the Grade 1, $300,000
FrontRunner at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Bob Baffert-trained ridgling
tops a field of 10 in the 1 1/16-mile event.
Fifth as the heavy favorite when making his career bow versus maiden special
weight foes on August 9, American Pharoah easily shrugged off that
disappointment in the Del Mar Futurity, registering a whopping 103 BRIS Speed
rating while leading all the way over the Polytrack. He’ll switch to dirt and
make his first start around two turns in the FrontRunner and Victor Espinoza
retains the mount.
Del Mar Futurity runner-up Calculator will be running late under Elvis
Trujillo. The In Summation colt is still winless from three career starts for
trainer Peter Miller, but the improving gray should appreciate the added ground
given that he’s out of a mare by Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Alphabet Soup.
Best Pal winner Skyway will also attempt to turn the tables on American Pharoah
after faltering to fourth as the favorite in the Del Mar Futurity. Conditioned
by Mark Casse, the Sky Mesa colt will keep Corey Nakatani in the saddle.
A pair of good-looking debut winners, Conquest Panthera and Lord Nelson,
could attract some support in their second career outing. The former is trained
by Casse while the latter hails from the barn of three-time Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile winner Baffert. Daddy D T and Sky Preacher, the one-two finishers in
the September 3 Oak Tree Juvenile Turf, will be looking to transfer their form
to the main track.
The Grade 1, $300,000
Chandelier
serves as the filly counterpart to the FrontRunner, but the 1 1/16-mile contest
won’t have Sunset Glow, who established herself as California’s top two-year-old
filly this summer with wins in the Del Mar Debutante and Sorrento. Favoritism
could fall to Angela Renee, who invades the West Coast for leading trainer Todd
Pletcher.
A debut winner at Belmont Park on June 27, Angela Renee followed that facile
tally with a runner-up in the Adirondack and a third in the Spinaway. The
daughter of Bernardini will pick up the services of Rafael Bejarano.
Del Mar Debutante third-placer Conquest Eclipse also figures to attract
support in the 12-horse field. Sharla Rae is the lone stakes heroine in the mix,
capturing the Barretts Debutante two weeks ago at Los Alamitos. Maiden winners
Majestic Presence, Maybellene and Morning Coffee are also possible contenders.
The Grade 1, $300,000
Rodeo
Drive will also be offered on the excellent card that features a total of
six stakes races. The 1 1/4-mile turf affair drew a full field of 14 distaffers
including Miss Serendipity, who will be seeking her third stakes triumph in the
last four starts.
The Ron McAnally-trained mare earned her first Grade 1 win in the United
States when capturing the May 26 Gamely at Santa Anita and exits a comfortable 1
1/4-length tally in the September 1 Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar. Brice Blanc has
the assignment.
“She needs to get the right trip and be clear in a big field,” McAnally said
of the six-year-old Argentinean-bred. “She won at a mile and a quarter (in her
last start) in Argentina and set a track record that day (1:57 4/5 in June
2013).
“We’ll give it a try. That’s all you can do.”
Parranda rallied for second in the Yellow Ribbon and returns to the Santa
Anita turf where she’s posted a 3-2-0-1 mark, sandwiching a third in the Gamely
between victories in the Royal Heroine and Wilshire. Jerry Hollendorfer trains
the five-year-old daughter of English Channel and Trujillo will be up. Moulin De
Mougin is a three-time winner over the local course and exits an encouraging win
in the John C. Mabee at Del Mar for Richard Mandella. Mike Smith takes the
return call.
Irish Mission ships in for Christophe Clement following a nice score in the
August 31 Glen Falls at Saratoga and picks up Nakatani. Three-time Grade 1 queen
Emollient, a nose second in the Gamely, will be looking to turn her form around
following a couple of unplaced efforts at Saratoga and Arlington. Trainer Bill
Mott will add blinkers and Rosie Napravnik is named to ride.
The $75,000
Unzip Me,
the lone ungraded event on the program, will feature a field of nine
three-year-old fillies sprinting down the hill and On the Backstreets is the one
to beat given her form on the unique about 6 1/2-furlong course.
The Miller-trained filly will make her first outing since a convincing
victory in the May 2 Ultrafleet at Santa Anita and easily captured two starts
earlier this year, including the China Doll. Bejarano will guide the chestnut
daughter of Street Boss.
Other contenders include Gender Agenda, Kool Kat, Stars Above Me and
Wonderfully.
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