Fillies Will Test the Fields

Sweet Catomine isn’t the only filly champion of 2004 racing today.

While Sweet Catomine, the 2-year-old Eclipse Award winner, will be facing males in the Santa Anita Derby, Ashado, the queen of the 3-year-old fillies last year, will make her first start of 2005 in the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Ashado has won nine of 14 but will be making her first start at Oaklawn in the Grade I at 1 1/16 miles. John Velazquez will ride against Dream Of Summer, Star Parade, Shadow Cast, Good Student, House Of Fortune, Island Fashion and Island Sand.

At Keeneland, Letgomyecho will stretch out to 1 1/16 miles in the $500,000 Ashland, a Grade I.

Letgomyecho is a 3-year-old daughter of Menifee who scored her first stakes victory in the Forward Gal, a Grade II at seven furlongs, on March 9. Her opponents include Runway Model, Sharp Lisa, Summerly, Sis City, Memorette and Amazing Buy.

Race of the day: Sweet Return, who has won two of six on the Santa Anita turf course, will try to end a six-race losing streak against 2004 Breeders’ Cup Mile winner Singletary and four others in the $150,000 Arcadia Handicap at Santa Anita. Corey Nakatani will ride Sweet Return, who has won five of 22, in the mile race, which is a Grade II. Ron McAnally trains Sweet Return for Red Oak Stable.

One for the road: Mass Media disappointed in his three starts at Santa Anita earlier in the meet, but can rebound with a return to Aqueduct in today’s $350,000 Carter Handicap, a Grade I at seven furlongs. In his only other start over the surface for owners Gary and Mary West and trainer Bobby Frankel, the 4-year-old son of Touch Gold won the Sport Page Handicap by 3 1/2 lengths last Oct. 31. Javier Castellano will ride.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Power Boy and Desert Boom in the eighth, Shining Energy and Berbatim in the ninth and Never Lost A Wager in the 10th.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 4/196. Money: Previous day/meet total: $23.20/$1,089.20. Total money bet: $1,306.