‘Paradise Gets Second Look

Those who backed Taste Of Paradise at 26-1 in the Vernon O. Underwood Handicap on Dec. 5 at Hollywood Park will get a much shorter price if they come back for more in today’s $150,000 Palos Verdes Handicap at Santa Anita.

The 6-year-old Conquistador Cielo horse, who beat Watchem Smokey by a nose over a wet, fast track for the big upset in Inglewood, is the 4-1 second choice on Jeff Tufts’ morning line in the six-furlong Palos Verdes.

Owned by David Bloom and trained by Gary Mandella, Taste Of Paradise has five wins in 20 starts and has earned over $414,000, but he has yet to do anything at Santa Anita. In four Arcadia starts, the dark bay has yet to finish in the money. In his most recent race in Arcadia, he was ninth of 10 in the San Carlos Handicap last March 7. Jose Valdivia Jr. has the call on Taste Of Paradise.

The 5-2 favorite in the Grade II is McCann’s Mojave. He finished fifth as the 19-10 choice in his first race in eight months in the El Conejo Handicap on Jan. 2. David Flores will ride the 5-year-old Memo horse for trainer Leonard Dorfman.

Race of the day: Vespers, who won her last start by 14 lengths on New Year’s Eve at Calder, is among a dozen fillies and mares scheduled to run 1 1/8 miles in the $60,000 Banshee Breeze today at Gulfstream Park.

Jose Santos will ride Vespers, a 7-year-old Known Fact mare, for trainer Shug McGaughey. Making her U.S. debut in the race is Isola Piu Bella, who won six of 11 in Chile, including four Group 1 wins. John Velazquez will ride the 5-year-old Rich Man’s Gold mare for Sumaya Us Stables and trainer Todd Pletcher.

One for the road: Cat On A Wire will make his first start for high-percentage trainer Steve Asmussen in today’s seventh at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans and big improvement is expected from the son of A.P. Indy. Donnie Meche will ride in the seventh, a $15,000 maiden claimer at a mile.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Awesome Sign and Lucky Jack in the second, Pleasure Honor and Cahill Mango in the third and Capitola, King’s Charmer and Spirited in the third.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/56. Money: Previous day/meet total: $17.40/$307.40. Total money bet: $358.