Another Test for Fun House

The way Fun House broke her maiden on Dec. 8 at Hollywood Park, she looked like a filly with a very bright future for owner--breeder Verne Winchell and trainer Ron McAnally.

A daughter of Prized out of the productive mare Bistra, she beat maidens by three lengths and was 11-10 to remain unbeaten in her first race at Santa Anita on New Year’s Eve.

Close early, Fun House backed up in the stretch and wound up sixth in the field of eight, beaten by 81/2 lengths.

It turns out the bay filly had an excuse. She bled in the race and will be treated with Lasix for the first time when she makes her turf debut in today’s third race at Santa Anita.

Breaking from the rail in the field of 10 going 61/2 furlongs down the hillside course, Fun House is the 5-2 second choice and the filly she will have to beat is the 8-5 morning line choice.

Carinae, a daughter of Nureyev, will make her first start in the U.S. for trainer Bobby Frankel. Owned by Flaxman Holdings Ltd., she had a win and a second in three races in England and, like Fun House, she will be racing on Lasix for the first time.

McAnally and Frankel also have strong contenders in the featured seventh, the $75,000 Reloy at 11/4 miles on the turf.

The Seven Seas, a six-time winner on the grass, is the 5-2 favorite for Frankel while McAnally will send out 5-1 shot Nepenthe, who has been 1-2-3 in seven of her nine starts on turf.

The rest of the field for the Reloy includes, from the inside out, Dispersed Reward, Vencera, the 7-2 second choice, Flying With Mimi, Desiraes My Candy, Tropical Lady and Slow Down.

Race of the day: The sixth is a six-furlong race that brings together some veteran claimers running for a $20,000 tag. The morning line favorite is 7-2, a good indication how contentious the sprint is.

Who’s hot: Peter Walder. The trainer hasn’t started many horses at Gulfstream Park, but he had four wins and three seconds with his first eight runners.

Who’s not: The stewards at Gulfstream Park. The decision to give jockey Eibar Coa a 30-day suspension for alleged “rough riding” in Saturday’s Ft. Lauderdale Handicap was, quite simply, a joke.

Exotically speaking: A trifecta in the sixth using Captain Bell on top to Mr. Reed, Count Your Cards, Retro Fever and Death Trappe in the two hole and all in the third spot.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 4/79. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $26.80/$513.20. Total money bet: $460.