Santa Anita: Turf juveniles race for 2 Breeders’ Cup bids

Win-and-you’re-in berths in the Breeders’ Cup are incentives Sunday for turf 2-year-olds racing at Santa Anita in the Zuma Beach and Surfer Girl, a pair of Grade 3, $100,000 miles.

The $100,000 Zuma Beach has a field of seven 2-year-olds racing for a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Oct. 31 at Del Mar.

Proletariat, a ridgling by Raging Bull who is trained by Jeff Mullins, exits a third-place finish in the one-mile Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept 7. Beaten by 2 3/4 lengths by winner Hey Nay Nay, it was Proletariat’s first time racing around two turns and his first time facing winners. Jockey Kyle Frey again will have the call on Proletariat, who was a $200,000 auction buy this year by owners Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures.

Caro Buono, an import from France, made his U.S. debut in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. He was last of 11 in the early going before rallying to finish fourth, beaten by three lengths. Caro Buono is trained domestically by Leonard Powell for owner Michael House. In his native France, he won once in four starts. The colt by Zelzal will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time Sunday.

Stark Contrast exits a promising maiden win when was switched to turf and stretched to a mile for his second start Sept. 6 at Del Mar. Trained by Michael McCarthy for owner-breeder Amerman Racing, Stark Contrast settled in mid-pack in a 10-horse field and ran past rivals late to score by one length. Jockey Kazushi Kimura again will ride the colt by Caravaggio.

Summer rivals meet again in Surfer Girl

Dreaming of Alys and Pentle Bay blew up the toteboard Sept. 6 by finishing one-two in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf going one mile. They meet again in the Surfer Girl, offers a steppingstone to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Dreaming of Alys beat Pentle Bay by one length at odds of 61-1 under jockey Diego Herrera last month. Pentle Bay was 75-1.

Dreaming of Alys is a daughter of Upstart campaigned by Agave Racing Stable and Medallion Racing. Her massive stakes upset at Del Mar was her first time racing on turf and first time around two turns in three starts. Herrera again has the call on Dreaming of Alys.

Pentle Bay is still a maiden after running well beyond expectations at 75-1 odds in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. It was only her second start after a fifth-place finish when debuting on dirt going 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 9. A $180,000 auction buy earlier this year, the daughter of Uncle Mo is owned by Qatar Racing and trained by Simon Callaghan. She’ll have regular rider Serafin Carmona aboard.

Scratch It comes west as a major threat for trainer Brad Cox and owners Fergus Galvin, Mrs. M.V. Magnier and Linda Shanahan. In two starts at the Saratoga summer meet, the daughter of Tapit won her debut going 1 1/16 miles on turf and came back to place second in the P.G. Johnson, also at 1 1/16 miles on turf. She will have Kazushi Kimura aboard for her California debut.

Also looming as a major contender is Will Happen, a daughter of Vekoma who was an eye-catching debut winner going five furlongs on turf Aug. 25 at Del Mar. Trained by Richard Baltas, Will Happen went to the front under Welfin Orantes and rolled to a four-length victory.

Will Happen was bought for $210,000 at auction this year by Abbondanza Racing, which campaigns the filly in partnership with Featherston. She has lured the services of Juan Hernández for her stakes debut.