Proletariat breaking his maiden at Del Mar August 1. (Benoit Photo)
Grade III Zuma Beach Stakes and Grade III Surfer Girl Stakes, both at 1 mile on turf Sunday at Santa Anita
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.—The Grade III Zuma Beach for 2-year-olds and Grade III Surfer Girl for 2-year-old fillies, both at one mile on turf, highlight what is a deep and competitive 10-race card Sunday at Santa Anita Park. Average field for the program is 9.5 starters per race. First post is 1 p.m. PT.
The $100,000 Zuma Beach has a field of seven 2-year-olds vying for a coveted graded stakes win and perhaps a spot in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf on Oct. 31 at Del Mar.
Proletariat, a ridgling by Raging Bull trained by Jeff Mullins, exits a third-place finish in the one-mile Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept 7. Beaten 2 ¾ lengths by winner Hey Nay Nay, it was Proletariat’s first-time racing around two turns and first-time facing winners. Jockey Kyle Frey will again have the call on Proletariat, who was a $200,000 auction buy earlier this year by owners Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC.
Caro Buono, an import from France, made his U.S. debut in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. He found himself last of 11 in the early going before rallying to finish fourth, beaten three lengths. Caro Buono is trained domestically by Leonard Powell for owner Michael House. In his native France, Caro Buono won once in four starts. The colt by Zelzal will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time Sunday.
Stark Contrast exits a promising maiden win when switched to turf and stretched out to a mile for his second start on Sept. 6 at Del Mar. Trained by Michael McCarthy for owner-breeder Amerman Racing LLC, Stark Contrast settled in mid-pack in a 10-horse field and ran past the field late to score by one length. Jockey Kazushi Kimura will again ride the colt by Caravaggio.
The Zuma Beach goes as the fourth race with post time at approximately 2:30 p.m.
The $100,000 Surfer Girl offers a potential steppingstone to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf while providing graded black type, which is of particular value to fillies.
The field includes both Dreaming of Alys and Pentle Bay, who blew up the tote board on Sept. 6 when running one-two in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf going one mile.
Dreaming of Alys, trained by Phil D’Amato, beat Pentle Bay by one length at odds of 61-1 under jockey Diego Herrera in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. Pentle Bay was 75-1.
Dreaming of Alys is a daughter of Upstart campaigned by Agave Racing Stable and Medallion Racing. Her massive stakes upset at Del Mar was her first time racing on turf and first time around two turns in three starts. Herrera again has the call on Dreaming of Alys.
Pentle Bay is still a maiden after running well beyond expectations at 75-1 odds in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf. It was just her second start following a fifth-place finish when debuting on dirt going 6 ½ furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 9. A $180,000 auction buy earlier this year, the daughter of Uncle Mo is owned by Qatar Racing and trained by Simon Callaghan. She’ll have regular rider Serafin Carmona aboard.
Scratch It comes west as a major threat for trainer Brad Cox and owners Fergus Galvin, Mrs. M.V. Magnier and Linda Shanahan. In two starts at the Saratoga Summer Meet, the daughter of Tapit won her debut going 1 1/16 miles on turf and came back to be second in the P.G. Johnson Stakes, also at 1 1/16 miles on turf. She’ll have Kazushi Kimura aboard for her California debut.
Also looming as a major contender is Will Happen, a daughter of Vekoma who was an eye-catching debut winner going five furlongs on turf Aug. 25 at Del Mar. Trained by Richard Baltas, Will Happen went to the front under Welfin Orantes and rolled to an easy four-length victory. The effort earned by far the highest Beyer Speed Figure recorded in the field.
Will Happen was purchased for $210,000 at auction earlier this year by Abbondanza Racing, who campaigns the filly in partnership with Featherston. She has lured the services of Juan Hernandez for her stakes debut.
The Surfer Girl goes as the eighth race at approximately 4:30 p.m.
