Obviously tries for Shoemaker Mile repeat; Let Faith Arise tops Vanity

A pair of Grade 1 stakes take center stage at Santa Anita Park on Saturday

when seven line up in the $400,000

Shoemaker Mile on the turf and eight distaffers go in the nine-furlong,

$300,000

Vanity on the main track.

The races take place back-to-back, with the Shoemaker Mile first up.

Defending champion Obviously drew the rail post under regular rider Joe Talamo

as he seeks a second-straight victory in the eight-furlong contest.

Obviously began competing against graded competition in the 2012 Del Mar Mile

Handicap, which he captured by a nose. The six-year-old bay gelding repeated in

that race last year and along the way has also triumphed in the 2012 Arroyo Seco

Mile, 2013 American Handicap and this season's American Stakes while placing in

the 2012 Breeders' Cup Mile.

Most of that occurred under the tutelage of trainer Mike Mitchell, but his

last win in Santa Anita's American Stakes came after being transferred to new

conditioner Philip D'amato. Obviously carried his form with him to the new shed

row, proven by his 5 1/2-length American victory, and will try to make it two in

a row Saturday.

One race later, Let Faith Arise will attempt to continue her winning ways in

the Vanity. The Jerry Hollendorfer-conditioned filly has finished first or

second in all but two of her seven stakes starts. The bay daughter of Kafwain

opened her four-year-old campaign with a pair Grade 2 runner-up efforts in the

La Canada and Santa Maria before successfully trying Grade 1 company for the

first time in the Santa Margarita. She then shipped to Oaklawn Park for the

Apple Blossom Handicap, running fourth that day, and returned May 18 to take the

Adoration. Nakatani retains the mount on Let Faith Arise.

Iotapa reversed decisions with Let Faith Arise in the Santa Maria and Santa

Margarita before taking her own trip outside of California. The John Sadler

charge traveled to Churchill Downs last out for the Humana Distaff but faded to

sixth in that seven-furlong sprint. She could enjoy stretching back out in

distance for the 1 1/8-mile Vanity under Talamo.

The Vanity is a study in re-opposing rivals. Scherzinger scored the Santa

Monica over Iotapa in January before taking the rest of the winter off. She

didn't reappear until running third in the Humana Distaff last out and gets a

rider switch to Elvis Trujillo on Saturday. Yahilwa and Irish Presence were

second and third, respectively, to Let Faith Arise in the Adoration most

recently and line back up here for another shot at that filly.