The $70,000 Unzip Me, anchor-leg in Santa Anita’s all-stakes Pick Six
on Saturday, is for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 ½ furlongs down the
Camino Real Turf Course and it attracted a field of 12, with two fillies
on the also-eligible list.
Trainer Eric Kruljac would appear to be holding a strong two-card
hand in the Unzip Me, as he’ll send out Lasso From El Paso and Best
Present Ever.
The latter was third two starts back in the Grade I American Oaks
at Hollywood Park on July 14 and cuts back in distance off a last-place
run in the Grade I, 1 1/8 miles Del Mar Oaks Aug. 18. She is one for
two coming down Santa Anita’s hillside course.
A daughter of Unusual Heat, Best Present Ever is a Dennis and
Norine Greiner homebred that has a 8-3-1-2 record and $185,800 in
earnings.
Lasso From El Paso, a multiple stakes winner at Turf Paradise in
Phoenix, Az., is a Florida-bred daughter of Smoke Glacken. She is
owned by Kruljac, Lewkowitz and Lewkowitz. She has $120,323 in earnings
from a 12-4-2-2 record.
Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally will send out his homebred
Charm the Maker in the Unzip Me. A Kentucky-bred filly by Empire Maker,
she is owned by McAnally’s wife, Deborah, and has been idle since
running fourth in the Grade III Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita on
April 7.
Third in the Grade I Oak Leaf as a juvenile and second, beaten a
half-length in the Grade I Hollywood Starlet last December, Charm the
Maker has a 7-2-1-1 record and career earnings of $223,200. This will
be her first start down Santa Anita’s unique hillside layout.
The complete field for the Unzip Me, which will be run as the
11th race, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Viva
Carina, Victor Espinoza, 118; Coup de Coeur, Edwin Maldonado, 122;
Smokin’ Grey, Martin Pedroza, 120, Koko Loca, Juan Hernandez, 118; Charm
the Maker, Brice Blanc, 122; Madoffwiththemoney, Alonso Quinonez, 120;
Best Present Ever, Garrett Gomez, 122; Byrama, Rafael Bejarano, 122;
Lasso From El Paso, Alex Bisono, 120; Killer Graces, Joe Talamo, 122;
Wild Truffles, Martin Garcia, 116, and Love Tale, David Flores, 120;
Also Eligibles: Starry Skies, Garrett Gomez, 116, and Lemon Hero, Kevin
Krigger, 116.