Sweet Catomine to Run Today as a 3-Year-Old

Sweet Catomine, the best 2-year-old filly in the country in 2004, will make her 3-year-old debut today in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes no matter what the track condition.

Owned by Pam and Marty Wygod and trained by Julio Canani, the daughter of Storm Cat will be heavily favored to win for the fourth time in five starts in her first race since she wrapped up an Eclipse Award with a 3 3/4 -length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park.

A distant second in her career debut July 31 at Del Mar, Sweet Catomine hasn’t been beaten since, earning stakes wins in the Del Mar Debutante and Oak Leaf before her authoritative score in Texas.

With Corey Nakatani, who was aboard for her two most recent victories, still serving a suspension, David Flores, who was the rider in her only loss, has the mount in the Santa Ysabel, a Grade III at 1 1/16 miles.

Sweet Catomine, whose most recent drill was a 59 4/5 work on New Year’s Day, will be coupled in the betting with Revealed because of common ownership.

Trained by John Shirreffs, the Old Trieste filly broke her maiden by a length at first asking Nov. 27 at Hollywood Park.

Race of the day: Clock Stopper, who has made his last six starts in graded stakes, drops in class to face five other sprinters in today’s $60,000 Colonel Power Handicap at the Fair Grounds. Owned by Overbrook Farm and trained by Dallas Stewart, the 5-year-old Gilded Time gelding will be making his first local start in the six-furlong contest and will be ridden by Robby Albarado.

One for the road: Nickle Oakie gets a positive barn change to Dean Pederson after being claimed for $5,000 on Dec. 5 and can win on the slight jump in today’s fifth at Golden Gate Fields. The 8-year-old Bold Roberto gelding will be ridden by Adalberto Lopez in the $6,250 claimer at 1 1/16 miles.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Magical Dust, Grey Misty and Presumption in the sixth, Gassan Rock, Nomonynomonynomony, Yodeltilyurblue and Black Butte in the seventh, the Sweet Catomine entry in the eighth and Chummin, Peaktopeak and Prince Of Gold in the ninth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/31. Money: Previous day/meet total: $15/$165.60. Total money bet: $188.