A Grade 1 for fillies and mares on the grass at Santa Anita with an eight-horse field. They’ll go a mile and an eighth and I will be going back at a filly I bet last out when I really expected her to win. She came up a tad short finishing second, but she was off a lay-off and making her first start for a new barn that just happened to be Richard Mandella.

I though May Day Ready always had talent and more in the tank. The move to Mandella, with nothing against her prior trainer was a big positive for me. She had a nice trip swinging out to make a serious run but could not quite get up. This is only her second start at this distance, and she had trouble the first time she tried it. She has been flawless at a mile and a sixteenth so I think this trip will suit her just fine.

She will need a career best race to win this but in the second start off the bench, at this distance and for this barn I view that possibility as quite likely. Antonio Fresu got to know her last out and that should help as well. I will be looking for a big race from May Day Ready and I’ll play the race accordingly.

The Pacific Classic

This week’s column posed a dilemma. The Pacific Classic is an extremely competitive wagering race, and I do not particularly like the favorite Knightsbridge. The problem is coming up with […]

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The 2026 Christophe Clement Turf Stakes

It gets harder to bet against the European shippers on the grass all the time. They come ready, shipping is not as difficult as it used to be, and there […]

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The Whitney Stakes 2026

Whitney Day at Saratoga is one of the most anticipated racing days on the calendar. The racing is high quality, the pools are large, the atmosphere is as close to […]

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