In the 45th running
of the Santa Ana, Irish-bred Cambina attempts to overcome a setback by 8-1 upsetter
City to City in the Feb. 20 running of the Grade II Buena Vista Handicap
at one mile. Contention runs deep in the event that attracted a field
of 11.
The connections of Cambina will be hoping that the
added distance of one-eighth mile in the Santa Ana will benefit their 4-year-old filly.
She came up 1 ¼ lengths short when a fast-closing fifth behind City to
City at odds of 7-2 in the Buena Vista. Others in the field could also
cite scenarios beneficial to their respective chances.
British-import Strawberrydaiquiri, bet down to 3-1, gained the
lead in midstretch of the Buena Vista before fading to fourth, one
length behind City to City. The 6-year-old gray mare, Group I placed in
Great Britain, hadn’t been out since October and stands to benefit from
the experience.
Then there is Chilean-bred Vamo a Galupiar, who was the 3-1
favorite in the Buena Vista. She finished swiftly to wind up fifth,
one-half length off Cambina and 1 ¾ lengths behind City to City in the
blanket finish. But she finished 1 ¼ lengths in back of third-place Wild
Mia, who went off at 10-1
Bauble Queen, a lightly-raced 4-year-old daughter of Arch, has
been freshened since capturing the Grade II Robert J. Frankel Stakes on
New Year’s Day at odds of 3-1 and again will be well-supported.
Camelia Rose, a French-import, lost by a nose in an allowance
race as the even-money favorite at nine furlongs in her U.S. debut, her
first start in seven months. “She ran really well first time out,” said
Callaghan, who trains her. “She was the best filly in the race, but just
got trapped on the rail.”
City to City, with Nakatani back aboard, is the Santa Ana’s most
accomplished contestant with earnings of $503,491 from a 7-5-5 record
in 24 starts for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, who co-owns
the 5-year-old City Zip mare with William DeBurgh. A winner of three
Grade II stakes, she seldom runs a non-contending race. City to City
will share high weight of 123 pounds with Bauble Queen.
Cambina will be ridden rejoined by the comebacking Gomez.
Trained by Jeff Bonde for a partnership, Cambina has won 6 of 16 starts
while earning $393,426. The dead-heat winner of Hollywood Park’s Grade I
American Oaks last year, she is 3-for-6 over Santa Anita’s Camino Real
Turf Course.
Strawberrydaiquiri competed in England, the United Arab Emirates
and in Canada before making her U.S. debut in the Buena Vista. Trained
by Ben Cecil for Fawzi A. Nass, the daughter of Dansili shows earnings
of $439,676 from a 6-2-1 record in 17 outings. Mario Gutierrez has
gained the mount.
Neil Drysdale trains Vamo a Galupiar for Robert B. Evans. A
Group I winner in Chile, the 5-year-old mare is lightly raced with a
4-1-0 record in seven starts worth $100,512. Her three races in this
country include a 3 ¾-length win in Santa Anita’s Megahertz Stakes on
Jan. 21. Smith will be aboard.
Joe Talamo takes over on Class Racing Stable’s Bauble Queen, who
was ridden by Gomez in her Frankel Stakes victory. Her record is 3-2-2
for earnings of $218,257 in eight starts for trainer Eric Kruljac.
Callaghan, who trains Camelia Rose for J. Paul Reddam, has
reengaged Joel Rosario to ride the Oratorio filly whose overall record
in nine starts is 2-3-0 for earnings of $102,948.
At the age of 5, Wild Mia will be aiming for her first graded
stakes victory with regular rider David Flores in the saddle.
Conditioned by Jerry Fanning and owned by Rosemont Stud Syndicate, Wild
Mia sports a 4-7-1 record in 17 career starts. She has earned $289,212.
The complete field for the Santa Ana Stakes, with jockeys and
weights in post position order: Vamo a Galupiar, Smith, 118; Cambina,
Gomez, 120; Hard to Resist, Chantal Sutherland, 118; Strawberrydaiquiri,
Mario Gutierrez, 118; Imperialistic Diva, Brice Blanc, 118; Camelia
Rose, Rosario, 118; Wild Mia, David Flores, 118; Hard Seven, Edwin
Maldonado, 118; Bauble Queen, Talamo, 123; Andina, Victor Espinoza, 118,
and City to City, Nakatani, 123.