Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) hero SINGLETARY (Sultry Song) will go as the
120-pound highweight in Saturday’s $150,000 Arcadia H. (G2) at Santa Anita despite an
off-the-board placing in his five-year-old bow in the Frank K. Kilroe
Mile H. (G1). The Donald Chatlos Jr. trainee was making his first start since
the Breeders’ Cup that afternoon and will have Alex Solis back in the
saddle for Saturday’s one-mile turf test.
Among his rivals are BUCKLAND MANOR (Bien Bien), second by a length in the
Kilroe, and FAIL ME NOT (Arg) (Handsome Halo), who has posted two wins
from his past three starts on the turf. The former, a stakes hero, is still
looking for his first graded victory, while Fail Me Not has been on a tear since
August, scoring in four of his past six on both turf and dirt.
The six-horse field, in post position order, will be SWEET STEPPER (Candy
Stripes), Mark Guidry, 114; RUNAWAY DANCER
(Runaway Groom), Jose Valdivia Jr., 113; Buckland Manor, Rene Douglas, 117;
SWEET RETURN (GB) (Elmaamul), Corey Nakatani, 117; Fail Me Not, Frankie Dettori,
113; and Singletary.
Also on Saturday’s Santa Anita Derby (G1) undercard is the $100,000
Providencia S. (G3). The nine-furlong event drew 11 three-year-old turf fillies,
including THATSWHATIMEAN (Belong to Me), who will have to tote the highweight of
119 pounds. The dark bay miss was last seen taking the China Doll S. by a neck
in her turf debut and will get Jon Court in the irons for the first time.
SHINING ENERGY (Rahy) will seek to keep her U.S. record perfect while making
her third start stateside in the Providencia. Conditioned by Julio Canani, the
chestnut filly broke her maiden at Santa Anita in her U.S. debut before adding
an easy victory in the La Habra S. to her line.
The contestants, from the rail out, are CRYSTAL HOUSE (Chester House), Michael Baze, 115; THANKS (Royal Anthem),
Guidry, 115; BERBATIM (Bernstein), Solis, 115; ON LONDON TIME (Gilded Time),
Nakatani, 115; ROYAL COPENHAGEN (Fr) (Inchinor [GB]), Douglas, 117; CLEFT (A.P.
Indy), Martin Pedroza, 115; GUARANTEED VICTORY (Smart Strike), Tyler Baze, 115;
Thatswhatimean; CHARMING COLLEEN (Charismatic), Dettori, 117; Shining Energy,
Valdivia, 117; and SINGHALESE (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]), Mike Smith, 115.