After a year away, S Y Sky returns in Santa Anita's California Distaff
Trainer Phil D’Amato’s come-backing, multiple stakes winner S Y Sky, Peter Miller’s Love a Honeybadger and Doug O’Neill’s Helen’s Tiger head a wide-open field of 11 fillies and mares bred or sired in California in Saturday’s $100,000 California Distaff Handicap at furlongs over the Santa Anita turf.
A two-time California-bred stakes winner, S Y Sky has been idle since winning a 6 ½-furlong hillside turf allowance on July 3, 2017.
Both Miller’s Love a Honeybadger and O’Neill’s Helen’s Tiger have good recent races to their credit and merit big chances as they both seek their first stakes wins on Saturday.
Owner: Nick Alexander
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Bred in California by her owner, this 4-year-old chestnut daughter of Grazen, out of the Sky Mesa mare Sky Marni, is one length shy of being unbeaten in four starts. A first-out maiden winner in the 6 ½-furlong Evening Jewel Stakes versus state breds on April 8, 2017, she tried turf for the first time in her hillside allowance win here on July 3 of that year. Ensconced at San Luis Rey Downs for her comeback at age 4, S Y Sky has a full complement of works to her credit, with her most recent a half mile in 49.60 on Oct. 3. With her first assignment off the bench at five furlongs on turf, she should be equal to the task. If so, she’s strictly the horse to beat.
Owner: Rockingham Ranch
Trainer: Peter Miller
Claimed three starts back for $40,000 on June 28, this 4-year-old Bushwacker filly brings an impressive 10-4-2-2 race record to the Distaff party as she tries turf for the first time. Most recently second, beaten 1 ½ lengths in a six furlong allowance on Aug. 24, she’s lightning-quick on dirt and her style should be a great fit over a course that has been smiling upon front-runners.
Owner: Nice Guys Stables
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Although it took her eight starts to break her maiden, this 3-year-old filly has shown marked improvement in her last three outs, and appears to be coming out of her best race ever on Sept. 1 at Del Mar, when she earned a career-best 86 Beyer Speed figure when running second, beaten a neck in a first condition allowance at five furlongs on turf. With one win and two seconds from three starts going five furlongs on the Del Mar turf, should relish similar conditions here on Saturday as she faces older fillies and mares for the first time.
THE CALIFORNIA DISTAFF HANDICAP
Race 8 of 10. Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT.
Princess Roi—Mike Smith—119
Hailey Rachele—Brayan Pena—118
Beau Square—Tyler Baze—120
Helen’s Tiger—Rafael Bejarano—116
Meet and Greet—Drayden Van Dyke—121
Ismelucky—Gary Stevens—116
How About Zero—Mario Gutierrez—124
Late ’n Left—Edwin Maldonado--116
S Y Sky—Joe Talamo—124
Love a Honeybadger—Tiago Pereira—123
Family Girl—Flavien Prat--116