Regarded by many as California’s top current state-bred mare at
middle distances, Tiz Flirtatious takes a steep drop in class and looms a
standout in Saturday’s $100,000 Valentine Dancer Stakes for
California-bred fillies and mares at one mile on turf.
A solid second as the 7-5 favorite in the Grade III Robert J.
Frankel Stakes going 1 1/8 miles on soft turf Dec. 30, the 5-year-old
mare by Tizbud ran a huge second, beaten a length, in the Grade I
Matriarch at one mile on Nov. 25.
Trained by Marty Jones and owned by her breeders, Pamela
Ziebarth, has an enviable record of 7-4-2-1, with earnings of $274,800.
She’ll be ridden back by Rafael Bejarano, who should be able to adapt
to any pace scenario.
Consistent Halo Dolly, who loomed a winner and finished fourth,
beaten three lengths in the Frankel, has an impressive 6-5-0-0 record at
one mile on turf and had an incredible 2012, going 12-7-0-1 and
amassing $675,896 in earnings.
A 5-year-old mare by Popular, Halo Dolly has run well from off
the pace and on the lead. Owned by Hoefflin or O’Farrell, Schneider and
partners, she has an overall mark of 25-14-3-2. She is trained by
Jerry Hollendorfer.
Idle since weakening to an eighth-place finish in the Grade III
Autumn Miss Stakes at one mile on turf on Oct. 27, Best Present Ever
could prove dangerous for trainer Eric Kruljac. Third in the Grade I
American Oaks at Betfair Hollywood Park on July 14, she is a stakes
winner at a mile on turf and should show good speed off the bench.
Owned and bred by her owners, Dennis and Norine Grenier, the
4-year-old filly by Unusual Heat has $205,800 in earnings from a record
of 10-3-2-2.
The Valentine Dancer, which will be run as Saturday’s fifth
race, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Toomanytomatoes,
Kevin Krigger, 118; Best Present Ever, Martin Pedroza, 120; Tiz
Flirtatious, Rafael Bejarano, 120; Chokecherymary, Julien Leparoux, 116;
Secret Cove, Garrett Gomez, 118; Miss Becca, Edwin Maldonado, 116; Halo
Dolly, Joe Talamo, 123, and Dancingtothestars, Mario Gutierrez, 116.