Santa Monica Has Grade I Feel

[Wandering Eyes]

For many years, the Santa Monica was one of just two seven-furlong Grade Is nationwide for female sprinters–Saratoga’s Ballerina S. was the other–but the race lost its top-level status in 2013. With three Grade I winners, the defending race champion and the ‘Assiniboia Assassin’ in the field, this year’s renewal is a Grade II in name only.

Marley’s Freedom (Blame) was many voters’ idea of an Eclipse Award winner in 2018, posting an admirable record of five wins from eight runs, including a handy success in the Ballerina and a pair of graded scores in the Golden State. Fourth, beaten a half-length after dropping atypically far back in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, she returned to winning ways with a battling success in the GIII Go For Wand H. in New York.

‘TDN Rising Star‘ Selcourt (Tiz Wonderful) won last year’s GIII Las Flores S. but went missing off her 4 1/2-length defeat of Marley’s Freedom in this event. A disappointing 12th after setting the pace for the opening half-mile of the FM Sprint, she bobbled at the start of the Jan. 13 Kalookan Queen S. and was forced to settle for second at long odds-on.

Fellow ‘Rising Star‘ Paradise Woods (Union Rags) is winless in five starts since rolling home with the 2017 GI Zenyatta S. and makes her first appearance since a failed turf try in the Osunitas S. at Del Mar last summer. Formerly trained by Richard Mandella, the bay is now under the care of John Shirreffs.

Dream Tree (Uncle Mo) won five straight to begin her career, including the GII Las Virgenes S. and GII Prioress S., but she surrendered her unbeaten record when finishing a long last in the age-restricted GI La Brea S. over course and trip Dec. 26.

Manitoba-bred Escape Clause (Going Commando) has proved equal to the task of the deeper waters that is the Southern California circuit. She has won two of her four outings, including a no-doubt-about-it score last time out in the GII La Canada S. Jan. 12.

 

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