‘Fashion Show Today
Santa Anita’s winter-spring season isn’t even half over yet and Island Fashion is already seeking her third Grade I win of the meet.
Owned by Jeff Nielsen’s Everest Stables and trained by Marcelo Polanco, the 4-year-old gray filly has won the La Brea Stakes and Santa Monica Handicap at seven furlongs, and today she’ll race at 1 1/16 miles and attempt to take the $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap.
A prelude to next month’s Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap, the Santa Maria also lured Adoration, Star Parade and four other fillies and mares. Adoration was the upset winner at 40-1 in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Star Parade surprised Adoration at 12-1 in the Bayakoa Handicap on Dec. 7 at Hollywood Park;
This will be Island Fashion’s first start beyond seven furlongs on the dirt since she was sixth of seven in the nine-furlong Beldame on Oct. 4 at Belmont Park. However, she is more than capable around two turns. She won at 1 1/4 miles in the Alabama, a Grade I, at Saratoga last summer, had earlier stakes victories at one mile at Delaware and 1 1/16 miles at New Mexico.
In the race after the Santa Maria, a field of 12 will go 1 1/2 miles on turf in the $200,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap. The 116-pound highweight in the well-matched field is Continuously, who won the Hollywood Turf Cup on a disqualification for owner Saud bin Khaled and trainer Bobby Frankel.
Race of the day: Badge Of Silver, who was an easy winner in his first race of 2004 on Jan. 23, will try for his second graded stakes win in today’s $200,000 General George Handicap at Laurel. The seven-furlong race is a Grade II and also attracted Peeping Tom, Way To The Top, Well Fancied and five others.
One for the road: Austin’s Mom, an impressive winner in the Affectionately Handicap at Aqueduct on Jan. 17, runs today in the $75,000 Rare Treat Handicap at the same track. The race is the eighth of nine on the card .
Exotically speaking: A trifecta keying Natural Style on top with Further, CD Cruzer and Remember Sheikh in the second spot and all in the third spot.
Winners: Previous day/meet total: 4/115. Money: Previous day/meet total: $19.40/$621.40 Total money bet: $668.