[/caption]St. Trinians is headed towards her 2011 debut after a tangle with Zenyatta in the Vanity Handicap last year compelled trainer Mike Mitchell to give the filly a long rest due to body soreness.
After wins in the Santa Maria and Paseana Handicap last year St. Trinians finished 6th to the boys in the Santa Anita Handicap before giving Zenyatta fans one of the scariest moments of that mare's career. In the Vanity Handicap St. Trinians managed to hold off the daunting presence of Zenyatta until the final few strides before the wire, turning in a gritty, courageous performance.
The Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita will mark her return to the races after more than 7 months away but she will almost certainly go off as the favorite. This will be her first time racing on dirt which puts her at a disadvantage but Mike Mitchell is confident his charge will take to the surface change very well.
Also entered in the race is Zardana, destined to forever be known as the filly to spoil Rachel Alexandra’s highly anticipated 2010 debut in the New Orleans Ladies. She enters the Santa Maria off a third place finish in early December in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park.
Washinton Bridge, winner of the Bayakoa, is also set to run in the Santa Maria along with Miss Match and Vision in Gold. It’s a pretty good field and if St. Trinians, Washington Bridge of even Zardana win they could set themselves up as leading older females this year. So far Switch has a strangle hold on the division but if St. Trinians wins things might be about to change. Personally I am a big fan of this filly and hope to see her return with a very strong effort in the Santa Maria.
Blind Luck and Always A Princess head a strong field in the La Canada Stakes (gr.2) on Saturday that could include dual Grade 1 winner Harmonious as well as Fashion Trend and Seeking the Title. All eyes will be on Blind Luck to see if she can prevail in her second start of the year after finishing a surprisingly dull second behind Always A Princess in the El Encino Stakes last month.
Einstein has sired his first foal and it is a colt out of Plaza South. Einstein is well remembered as one of the most consistent and versatile runners of the last decade after winning four Grade 1 races on three different surfaces; dirt, turf and synthetic. I look forward to seeing what his offspring will bring to the track.
Don’t forget to head over to the Horse Racing Nation website and check out my new blog: Kentucky Oaks Runner!
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