Santa Anita: Sadler opts to run Alpha Bella in Santa Margarita

Alpha Bella, who was entered in both Sunday’s Grade 2 Santa Margarita on dirt and Monday’s Gamely (G1) on turf, will run in the Santa Margarita at 1 1/8 miles, trainer John Sadler said Friday.

Alpha Bella is part of a field of six entered in the Santa Margarita. Joining her in the lineup is Where’s My Ring, who also was cross-entered in the Gamely. On Friday morning, Where’s My Ring’s new trainer, Peter Miller, said he had not yet decided which race she would contest. Where’s My Ring previously was trained by Val Brinkerhoff.

As for Alpha Bella, she is installed at 5-1 on the morning line for the Santa Margarita. The versatile mare by Justify is a graded-stakes winner on turf and has finished runner-up in three graded stakes on dirt since being transferred to Sadler from trainer Todd Pletcher last summer.

Most recently, Alpha Bella was second in the Wilshire (G3) at one mile on turf March 29 at Santa Anita.

“She’s good on both surfaces, and we were trying to handicap what’s the better spot,” Sadler said. “We decided to go on dirt Sunday.”

A homebred for Don Alberto Stable, Alpha Bella is one of four stakes runners this weekend for Sadler. On Saturday, which features five stakes for California-breds, Sadler has 4-5 favorite Kings River Knight in the Crystal Water Stakes at a mile on turf and Cali Cat (3-1) in the Snow Chief, which is for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf. On Monday, Sadler will take a shot in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2) with Packs a Wahlop, who has raced almost exclusively on turf and synthetic.

Kings River Knight will make his second start after a 10-month layoff in the Crystal Water, a race he’s won each of the past two years. He also will stretching out in distance. On March 30, the 7-year-old Acclamation gelding returned in the Sensational Star for statebreds sprinting on the hillside turf course. He raced near the pace that day before weakening in the stretch.

“He’s been working great since his comeback,” Sadler said. “Maybe he needed that race after the long layoff. But he got a decent rating, and a mile on turf against Cal-breds is really his spot.”

Cali Cat also will stretch out in distance in the Snow Chief after most recently being beaten a half-length when sprinting down the hill in the John Shear Stakes on April 6.

“He broke his maiden at a mile,” Sadler noted. “He was in the shorter races for a couple because that’s what was available for Cal-breds on the turf. But we think he’s good at a mile, mile and an eighth. This looks like a good spot for him.”

First post Saturday for a 10-race card is 4 p.m. EDT. In addition to the Snow Chief and Crystal Water, the card includes the Fran’s Valentine for fillies and mares at one mile on turf, Thor’s Echo at six furlongs on dirt and Melair for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.