Post-Race Review
Jockey Joel Rosario knew what he was doing when the young rider opted to not ride the nice filly Dawn After Dawn and instead took the mount on Belmont Cat (NZ), who scored a 9 – 1 upset victory in the Santa Ana Handicap (gr. II). After Dawn After Dawn and Eissoai (BRZ) scratched, a field of seven was left to contest the race, with longshot In My Glory setting the pace.
Bel Air Sizzle, who just raced last weekend, closed well from last to fight down the stretch with Belmont Cat, Satan’s Circus, and heavily favored Visit (GB). The three mares hit the wire together, with Belmont Cat a head in front of Bel Air Sizzle. Visit was a neck back in third, with Satan’s Circus a head behind. Belmont Cat hit the wire in 1:48.68, scoring the victory for trainer John Sadler. The Felix the Cat mare paid $20.40 to win, topping a $58.30 exacta.
Pre-Race Analysis
Older fillies and mares will compete in the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap, a Grade 2 race over 1 1/8 miles on the grass. Sunday’s feature at Santa Anita has drawn nine classy horses of similar ability, making for an interesting handicapping event.
Bel Air Sizzle ran last weekend on the 15th and finished third, closing down the stretch. It is common for trainer Barry Abrams to run back quickly. This filly won the Valentine Dancer Handicap on February 21st, and has scored five times in eighteen starts. A daughter of Unusual Heat, Bel Air Sizzle will have the services of Rafael Bejarano, who has ridden the filly to victory in a stakes race before.
Sharp Susan is a five-year-old daughter of Touch Gold with six wins in twenty one lifetime starts, and earnings over $478,000. Exiting a disappointing effort in the January 31st Wishing Well Handicap, Sharp Susan hasn’t won since July of last year, when the mare scored a stakes victory at Philadelphia Park. However, Sharp Susan is a Grade 2 winner on the turf, and had a bullet workout on March 14th at Hollywood Park. Neil Drysdale trains.
Visit (GB) has not yet lived up to her potential in the United States. A graded stakes winner in England, Visit finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. I) in October, then third in the Matriarch (gr. I) and sixth in the Santa Maria Handicap (gr. I) in February as the favorite. A four-year-old by Oasis Dream, Visit hails from the Bobby Frankel barn. Frankel took Saturday’s feature with Midships.
Satan’s Circus finished fourth in an allowance race on March 4th, but hadn’t run since September and is now in the barn of Patrick Biancone. A four time winner in France, Satan’s Circus hasn’t yet won in the United States, but finished fourth in the Del Mar Oaks (gr. I) and second in the American Oaks (gr. I) last summer here in California. Joe Talamo will ride.
Dawn After Dawn has been a useful horse throughout her career. Coming off two straight listed stakes victories, the Successful Appeal mare should figure prominently here. Last year, Dawn After Dawn won the grade II La Canada Stakes on the main track, but after finishing eighth in the Sunshine Millions Distaff in January, she switched to turf and has been very successful. Tyler Baze will ride, as Joel Rosario, who was aboard last out, switches to Belmont Cat (NZ), who won an allowance race at Hollywood Park in December.
In My Glory, Eissoai (BRZ), and Exquisite (NZ), complete the field of nine.
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Emily Shields is a regular contributor to Case the Race. She has written for California Thoroughbred, Churchill Downs media, and international racing magazines.
