LUKAS GOES FOR SIXTH LANDALUCE WIN WITH MONTECITO
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won the Landaluce five times,
including a win with the race's namesake in 1982. He will be
shooting for a record sixth win when he saddles Robert and
Beverly Lewis' Montecito in the $100,000-added race for
2-year-old fillies.
"The distance should suit her very well," said assistant trainer Jeff Lukas. "She'll be off the lead, we just need to get good position and get a clear run from the quarter-pole."
The daughter of Seeking the Gold is a half-sister to Halo Sunshine, who took the Golden State Derby and finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby this spring. Montecito most recently finished fourth behind Starry Ice in the Cinderella Stakes on June 12.
"This race will be a good indicator for us," the younger Lukas said. "After this, the races will get bigger and we'll ask her to go farther."
In other developments:
Post positions from the rail out for the $100,000-added Landaluce Stakes (Gr. II), to be run Saturday, July 6, at six furlongs: Really Rising, Corey Black, 116; Starry Ice, Eddie Delahoussaye, 119; Spirited Jaclyn, Laffit Pincay Jr., 116; Trav N' Kris, Omar Berrio, 114; Montecito, Corey Nakatani, 116, and Cozy Angie, Alex Solis, 116.
NOSEDA SENDS STRONG ENTRY IN SUNDAY'S BEVERLY HILLS
Trainer Jeremy Noseda will saddle a solid entry of
Flagbird and Grafin in Sunday's $250,000-added Beverly Hills
Handicap (Gr. I), but he is disturbed by the insinuation that
Grafin will set the pace for her more highly regarded
entrymate.
"She's a Grade III winner, she's no rabbit," said Noseda, who has saddled five winners from 16 starters at the meet. "I'm upset that people would think I'm like that."
Grafin brings her own credentials into Sunday's contest, including a three-race win streak, a seven-for-13 turf record and a Group III victory in Europe as a 3-year-old.
"She's surprised me by how well she's been doing," said Noseda, who mentioned he recently purchased Mystic Knight, sixth in the Epsom Derby, over in England. "My original plan was to wait for the Ramona, but my filly is in such good form -- now's my chance."
The 5-year-old Miswaki filly has gone wire-to-wire under jockey Corey Black in both local starts, and could be a logical pacesetter in the race.
"Both times here, she was allowed to go on the lead in nearly :48 for the half," said Noseda, who currently has 21 runners in his barn and is expecting additions throughout the summer. "So she might not have speed to get to the lead. A speed duel won't suit my filly. The important thing is she relaxes and runs her race."
Flagbird has been chasing top distaffers around the world. She enters off a second-place finish behind Sunday's probable favorite Auriette in the June 9 Gamely Handicap (Gr. I).
"She ran a huge race last time," Noseda said. "She's always run in real tough races. The only problem here is that her ideal situation is to run over good (softer) ground. Her Group I win came over soft ground and the course here, in English terms, is firm."
In other developments:
Bail Out Becky is scheduled to arrive Friday afternoon from Churchill Downs.
Post positions for the $250,000 Beverly Hills Handicap (Gr. I), to be run Sunday, July 7, at 1 1/4 miles on the turf: Real Connection, Brice Blanc, 112; Fanjica, Alex Solis, 115; Flagbird, Eddie Delahoussaye, 118; Different, Chris McCarron, 117; Bail Out Becky, Craig Perret, 118; Auriette, Kent Desormeaux, 121; Grafin, Corey Black, 114, and Didina, Corey Nakatani, 115.
DRYSDALE GLAD TO HAVE AMERICAN WINNER LABEEB IN THE STATES
Labeeb kept his American record a perfect three-for-three
with a half-length win in Thursday's $100,000-added American
Handicap. All three wins have come at 1 1/8 miles over the
Hollywood Park turf course. The win was the 200th Hollywood
Park victory for trainer Neil Drysdale.
"He beat a very good field," Drysdale said. "There was a lot of speed and Eddie (Delahoussaye) gave him a very nice ride."
Drysdale indicated Labeeb would make his next start in Aug. 4 Eddie Read at Del Mar.
| Horse | Claim To Fame | Race |
|---|---|---|
Saturday |
||
| Starry Ice | undefeated winner of Cinderella S, Nursery S | 8th, Landaluce Stakes |
Spirited Jaclyn | 2nd Cinderella, 2nd Nursery 8th, | Landaluce Stakes |
Montecito | Lukas 2-year-old filly; 1/2 to Halo Sunshine | 8th, Landaluce Stakes |
Evil's Pic | 1st in Great Lady M on May 10 3rd, $50,500 | allowance |
Denim Yenem | won 1995 Autumn Days H in last 3rd, $50,500 | allowance |
Sunday |
||
| Auriette | 3-race win streak including | Gamely H (Gr. I) 9th, Beverly Hills H |
Flagbird | 2nd Gamely H (Gr. I) in last | 9th, Beverly Hills H |
Different | 2-year-old champion filly in Argentina 9th, | Beverly Hills H |
Didina | won 1995 Dahlia H (Gr. II) | 9th, Beverly Hills H |
Fanjica | won Gr. III Yerba Buena at GG two races back | 9th, Beverly Hills H |
American Day | Dollase runner is 1/2 brother to Best Pal 4th, $41,500 | allowance |
Sharp Cat | Debut for Lukas 2yo filly; 1/2 to Star Recruit; | 6th, $31,500 maiden race $900,000 purchase led Barretts March sale |
Gastronomical | Providencia S, 2nd Senorita (Gr. III) 7th, | The Hidden Light |
Najecam | 2nd Princess (Gr. II), 3rd Honeymoon (Gr. III) 7th, | The Hidden Light |
FINISH LINES: Stakes coordinator Doug Bredar noted trainer Jim Ryerson has expressed interest in sending Breeders' Cup Juvenile (Gr. I) winner Unbridled's Song out for the $500,000 Swaps on Super Sunday, July 21 . . .Trainer Richard Mandella said Talloires has been nominated to the two-mile Melbourne Cup on Nov. 5. The race is worth approximately $1.5-million. The well-traveled Kentucky-bred colt raced in France and Italy in 1993, and ran second in the Grand Premio Brasil and the Rothmans International in Toronto, Canada last summer. He is currently 3-4 weeks away from a race . . . Trainer Jack Saip said he is considering Theater Master, a two-length allowance winner in Thursday's fourth race, for the American Derby (Gr. II) on July 21 at Arlington International . . . Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile (Gr. II) winner Fastness worked five furlongs in 1:03 Friday morning in preparation for the Aug. 4 Eddie Read Handicap (Gr. I) at Del Mar . . . Estrapade Stakes winner Magic Feeling went five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 . . . Ocean View drilled six furlongs in 1:12 . . . Sleep Easy worked six furlongs in 1:14 2/5 . . . Matiara went four furlongs in :49 2/5 at Santa Anita.
The Running Horse (https://www.isd1.com/alauck)