Mullins in Thick of Race

Trainer Jeff Mullins, who won at a 20% clip in 2002, is off to an even better start this year.

Through the first 10 days of the Santa Anita meet, Mullins is batting .333 with four victories from 12 starters. He is in a four-way tie for second in the standings with perennial leader Bob Baffert, Bruce Headley and Bob Hess Jr. All are one victory behind Bobby Frankel.

Mullins has had one win each of the last three days and he’ll try to keep the streak alive with longshot Proven Form in today’s $75,000 Blue Norther Stakes.

A one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies, the Blue Norther drew six other entrants and the morning-line favorite is Major Idea.

Trained by Neil Drysdale for the Thoroughbred Corp., Major Idea, a daughter of Cherokee Run, has won two of her four races on the turf. In her most recent start at Hollywood Park on Dec. 14, she was a one-length winner as the 9-10 favorite, beating three of the fillies she will race this afternoon.

Proven Form, sixth in the common race last month, will be a big price as she tries to keep Mullins’ roll going. The trainer won with 6-1 shot Tahitian Rain last Friday, 21-1 outsider Moomtaz on Saturday and 2-1 second choice Rachelle’s Numbers on Sunday.

The rest of the Blue Norther field includes the Ron McAnally-trained pair of No Kings and Vanilla Sky, Artist’s Studio, who needed to go north to break her maiden; longshot Mac Melody and Chief Little Dan.

No Kings, who will be ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, is the only filly in the race with a win on the Santa Anita turf. She broke her maiden at 21-1 on Oct. 23.

Race of the day: Albatros, who has won four of his last six, will try to make a successful debut for trainer Pete Eurton in today’s fifth at Santa Anita. The 6-year-old is among eight scheduled to go 1 1/4 miles on the turf.

Who’s hot: Pat Day. The jockey got off to a good start at Gulfstream Park, winning with six of his first 19 mounts.

Who’s not: Edgar Prado. Conversely, the rider came out of the gate slowly at Gulfstream, winning only once with 22 mounts the first three days.

Exotically speaking: A pick three, singling Quick Nip in the third, using Yesterday Is Gone, Rebel Winner and Triptronic in the fourth, and Albatros and Nate’s Colony in the fifth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 5/28. Money: Previous day/meet total: $25.60/$147.80. Total money bet: $174.