Santa Anita news: McCarthy barn rolling into Breeders' Cup
With back-to-back wins in Friday’s third and fourth races, Michael McCarthy has four victories through five days of Santa Anita’s 22-day Autumn Meet, putting him one behind training leader Jerry Hollendorfer and in a tie for second with Peter Miller.
“We’ve been lucky with owners who have sent us horses that look like they have plenty of ability,” McCarthy said while double-timing per usual during training hours Saturday morning. “We’ll try to keep it going and hope the cycle stays like this.
“This game is funny. You get on a run, and then there’s a little bit of a lull. We were waiting for Santa Anita to start and had been gearing up for it after Del Mar, so I’m glad things have gone according to plan so far.”
McCarthy has Breeders’ Cup aspirations with Vibrance (Juvenile Fillies), City of Light (Dirt Mile), Liam the Charmer (Turf), Paved (Filly & Mare Turf) and possibly Axelrod (Classic). “They’re all obviously under consideration,” McCarthy said.
“It seems like they’ve all handled their races well, so we’ll proceed as if we’re going to be taking part.”
SHOW IT N MOE IT SET FOR GRADE 3 LA WOMAN
Show It N Moe It, a 3-year-old California-bred daughter of Grace Upon Grace, tackles older foes in open company Sunday in the Grade 3 LA Woman Stakes for fillies and mares, three and up, at 6 ½ furlongs.
“I knew the race was going to be light, so we’re taking a shot,” said Gary Sherlock, who trains Show It N Moe It for owner/breeder Terry Lovingier, Tom London and Gene Zondlo.
“It’s a five-horse field and a Grade 3 so you have to take a chance to get graded placing for her,” Sherlock added. “She’s worked well here, so we’ll see what happens.”
Show It N Moe It has a 4-4-3 record from 15 career starts, and fancies Santa Anita as her 3-2-1 log from eight races indicates.
The LA Woman, race five: Skye Diamonds, Tiago Pereira, 7-2; Classy Tune, Joe Talamo, 5-1; Yuvetsi, Tyler Baze, 2-1; Show It N Moe It, Rafael Bejarano, 5-1; andAnonymity, Flavien Prat, 8-5.
O’NEILL EXCITED ABOUT WHOOPING JAY IN ZUMA BEACH
Whooping Jay, impressive 5 ¼-length maiden winner at Los Alamitos in his debut race Sept. 9, ascends in company Monday when the son of Square Eddie runs in the $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes for 2-year-olds at one mile on turf.
“I’m really happy with the way he won,” said Doug O’Neill, who trains the bay gelding for principal client Reddam Racing. “He came out of it in good shape and the Square Eddies seem to run well on dirt, turf, synthetic, long, short, so we’re excited to see how he does.”
The field: Rijeka, Geovanni Franco; Ship of the Line, Adam Beschizza; Much Better, Drayden Van Dyke; Spin Lightning, Flavien Prat; King of Speed, Gary Stevens; Takeo Squared, Rafael Bejarano; Honcho, Tyler Baze; and More Ice, Asa Espinoza.
AUSSIE FILLY IMPRESSIVE IN U.S. DEBUT FOR DRYSDALE
Oleksandra looked every bit a winner in conformation and presence before Friday’s second race, and the 4-year-old Australian-bred filly ran like it in the maiden allowance test at about 6 ½ furlongs on turf, even though she hadn’t raced in 11 months.
Trained by Neil Drysdale for Team Valor International and ridden by Mike Smith, the beautiful bay was last in the field of 10 early, picked up steam as they neared the dirt portion, then closed with a rush on the inside to score by a neck at a $15.40 win mutuel.
The trouble line from the ever diligent Equibase duo of Ken Davis and Mike Schneider reads: “Off bit slow, steadied, settled bit off rail, 2wd move, up rail.”
Said Drysdale Saturday morning: “She’s always trained well. Her races in Australia were decent (two seconds and a third in three starts). She was in Florida quite a long time before we received her. She looks like she’s talented. I was impressed with her race yesterday because she was knocked sideways leaving the gate, was last, and it’s quite difficult to come from last on this course the way it plays at the moment.
“Mike gave her a lovely ride. He didn’t panic or anything when he got knocked over.”