Melair’s Owners Decide to Send Unbeaten Filly Against Snow Chief Today

Melair, the undefeated 3-year-old filly, will run against Snow Chief and other colts today in the $400,000 Silver Screen Handicap instead of going in Sunday’s $150,000 Hollywood Oaks, her owners said Friday night.

Bea Rous said the decision was made after her partner, Marianne Millard, and she discussed the option with their trainer, John Sadler.

“It was very difficult, getting the three heads together on this,” Rous said. “But we decided that Melair might not like the 1 1/8-mile distance and the fact that she has to go around two turns in the Oaks.”

Melair will break from the outside post in what may be a 13-horse field for the Silver Screen. Snow Chief, winner of the Preakness and the Jersey Derby in his last two starts, breaks from the No. 1 post.

“I was worried more about the outside post for our filly than anything else,” Sadler said. “But Snow Chief might not have a favorable post position, either.”

The Silver Screen is a one-turn mile, with the race starting out of a chute.

“It’s a long straightaway, which might give Melair the chance to get over,” Rous said.

With Melair running in the Silver Screen, only four horses are left in the Oaks, which might make that stake a non-betting race. Melair would have carried 121 pounds, the same as the other starters, in the Oaks, but in the Silver Screen she will carry 114, which is 13 fewer than the top-weighted Snow Chief.

The remaining field for the Oaks includes Hidden Light, Family Style, An Empress and Prodigal Protege. In her last race, the Princess Stakes, Melair beat Hidden Light by 3 1/2 lengths for her fourth straight win.