Santa Anita: Tirupati leads field of 13 in Royal Heroine

Tirupati, winner of last month’s Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes, will look to make it consecutive graded stakes wins Saturday at Santa Anita when she takes on 12 rivals in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes for older fillies and mares going a mile on turf. Other key principals in the lineup include last year’s Royal Heroine winner Uncorked, and unbeaten up-and-comer Raw Ability.

Tirupati, trained by Jonathan Thomas, went gate-to-wire under Umberto Rispoli when winning the one-mile Wilshire on turf March 29 at Santa Anita. It was the first stakes win for the 4-year-old daughter of Mitole. Previously, Tirupati was beaten just a head by well-regarded Liguria in the Buena Vista (G2) on March 1.

Owned by Augustin Stables, Tirupati has a record of 13: 4-3-5 with $217,676 in earnings. She will again have Rispoli in the irons.

Uncorked won last year’s Royal Heroine from off the pace when making her first start for trainer Phil D’Amato after previously being based in the east with trainer Brittany Russell. Uncorked has been winless in six subsequent graded stakes efforts, which includes a fifth-place finish in the Wilshire and fourth in the Buena Vista.

Bred in Australia, where she made her first nine starts before shipping to the U.S., Uncorked is a 6-year-old daughter of Pierro. She is campaigned domestically by The Elkstone Group. Uncorked will be ridden by Mike Smith for the first time. She enters with an overall record of 23: 4-6-2 and $341,999 in earnings.

Raw Ability will be making her stakes debut after a perfect 3-for-3 to her career. The Ireland-bred won her debut at Gowran last June before being purchased privately by Hronis Racing and transferred to trainer John Sadler. The 4-year-old Belardo filly won a first-level allowance in her U.S. bow last September at Del Mar. Following a 6 1/2-month layoff, she returned to clear her second-level allowance condition on March 17 at Santa Anita going a mile on turf.

Jockey Hector Berrios has been aboard for both of Raw Ability’s domestic starts and he retains the mount on Saturday.

Public Assembly made her first four starts in the east for trainer Chad Brown before being transferred to the D’Amato barn over the winter. She announced her arrival on the local scene by scoring in a 1 1/4-mile allowance on turf March 30 at Santa Anita. A 4-year-old More Than Ready filly, Public Assembly is owned by Abbondanza Racing, Medallion Racing and Lissa Ann McNulty. She enters with a record of 5: 2-1-0 and $164,666 in earnings. Jockey Antonio Fresu, who was aboard for her recent allowance win, again has the call.