Starkay Shortens Up

Starkay, who was beaten by a nose in her last start in the Great Lady M. on June 3 at Hollywood Park, is the one to catch in the $85,000 Daisycutter Handicap today at Del Mar.

Owned by a partnership and trained by Roger Stein, Starkay, a 6-year-old New Zealand-bred mare, set the pace in the 5 1/2 -furlong Great Lady M. before being edged on the wire by Costume Designer.

In the Daisycutter, the daughter of Towkay will shorten up to five furlongs as she makes her first start on the Del Mar turf course. A winner of three of nine since arriving in the U.S., Starkay will be ridden by Jon Court, who was aboard for all three of those victories during the 2005 spring-summer meet at Hollywood Park.

Sandra’s Rose, who finished fourth in the Great Lady M., will also be making her grass bow at Del Mar as she aims for her fifth win in eight starts on turf.

Race of the day: Pyramid Love, who won two of three starts in France, will make her U.S. debut in the $100,000 Lake George today at Saratoga. Julien Leparoux will ride the 3-year-old Fusaichi Pegasus filly in the Grade III stakes race at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Seven others are scheduled to run in the Lake George, which is the eighth race on the card.

One for the road: Holiday Event had a perfect sprint tightener and returns to her preferred surface -- the turf -- and should get plenty of pace to run at in the 10th race today at Santa Rosa. Joey Castro will ride the 4-year-old Event Of The Year filly for owner Kimberly Mosier and trainer Donna Hjort in the $31,000 allowance at one mile. Holiday Event finished second in her lone race on the Santa Rosa turf last year.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Del Mar Cat in the fifth, Fighting City Hall, Spunky Harry and Wee Jinky in the sixth, Midnight Lute, Beneath The Radar, Jitterbug Ball and Ellwood and Jake in the seventh and Afleet Spy, Soul City Slew and North America in the eighth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 2/23. Money: (previous day/meet total): $8.40/$121.60. Total money bet: $136.