Bear Fan Gets First Turf Test

Bear Fan, who has won five of her nine starts on dirt, will try turf for the first time in today’s $100,000 Irish O’Brien at Santa Anita.

An ungraded race at about 6 1/2 furlongs, the Irish O’Brien attracted eight other fillies and mares and is one of two stakes on the card. Two races later, 11 3-year-olds are scheduled to run in the $70,000 Pasadena at one mile on the grass.

Co-owned and trained by Wesley Ward, Bear Fan won her first four starts, then lost four in a row before winning the Barbara Fritchie Handicap, a Grade II, at Laurel on Feb. 14.

Capable of winning on the lead or sitting off the pace, Bear Fan, a 5-year-old daughter of Pine Bluff, will be reunited today with jockey Mike Smith. He’s unbeaten with the California-bred, having been aboard for her first three races.

Super High, who will break from the rail, is the most accomplished member of the Irish O’Brien cast on turf. The 5-year-old High Brite mare has won half of her eight races on grass and earned nearly $299,000 for owner John Harris and trainer Carla Gaines.

Race of the day: Bonfante, a sharp second to Jimmy’s Instinct in a tougher spot at Santa Anita on Feb. 15, is the one to beat in today’s seventh, a $31,700 allowance at six furlongs, at Golden Gate Fields. The race is part of a pick six with a carry-over of $37,819.

One for the road: War Trace hasn’t shown anything in two starts on dirt but is bred to move up on the grass, being a son of Storm Cat and out of the multiple-stakes winning mare Memories Of Silver. The 3-year-old gets his first shot on the surface for owners Joan and John Phillips and trainer James Toner in today’s ninth, a $32,000 maiden affair at about 1 1/16 miles, at Gulfstream Park.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Thaumaturge and On The Beam in the second, Eyad, Viva Pentelicus, Moomtaz and Spend Spend Spend in the third and General Fox in the fourth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/175. Money: Previous day/meet total: $3.80/$931. Total money bet: $1,014.