Rumor is scheduled to make her first start since finishing fifth in
the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint last Nov. 3 and her second
start in the Santa Monica Stakes when she runs in Saturday’s Grade II,
$250,000 feature for older fillies and mares at seven furlongs.
“She didn’t run bad,” said Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, who
rode her in the Breeders’ Cup race and retains the mount in the Santa
Monica. “She ran good. We would have liked her to run a little better,
but if I can get her to run like she did the race before that (a win in
the LA Woman), she’ll be tough.
“She’s got a chance. She’s just got to get the trip and hopefully she’ll run well.”
Rumor, a 5-year-old mare trained by Richard Mandella, set the
pace to the halfway point in last year’s Santa Monica when it was a
Grade I race before weakening to sixth.
Rumor worked four furlongs on Santa Anita’s fast main track Monday in 48 seconds.