Santa Anita Oaks

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Nine three-year-old fillies, including the one-two finishers from the Las
Virgenes S. (G1), will head to the gate on Sunday in the $300,000 Santa Anita
Oaks (G1). BALANCE (Thunder Gulch) captured the Las Virgenes by a length over a
fast-closing WILD FIT (Wild Wonder), and we think she’ll hold off that rival yet
again in this one.

Trained by David Hofmans, the bay miss broke her maiden in October before
graduating to the stakes ranks in her next start, the Hidden Light S. She
finished first in that one, but was disqualified and placed third for
interference in the stretch, and returned to prove her dominance in the Sharp
Cat S. at Hollywood Park by 1 3/4 lengths. Balance rounded out her juvenile
season with a close second, just a half-length back, in the Hollywood Starlet S.
(G1), and began her sophomore campaign in style, with a victory in the Las
Virgenes. She has yet to place off the board from five career starts and earned
a 101 BRIS Speed rating for her last win. Balance will be tough to deny here
with Victor Espinoza returning to the saddle.

Wild Fit was switched to the barn of Patrick Biancone prior to the Las
Virgenes, and made her final start for Jeff Mullins a nice second in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). She’s a late runner, who likes to come from
way out of it, which may have cost her in the Las Virgenes. The gray lass did
garner a 100 Speed figure for that effort and will keep regular rider Alex Solis
aboard for Sunday’s race. Wild Fit could turn the tables on her rival with a
game enough run from the back.

DIPLOMAT LADY (Foresty) captured the Hollywood Starlet in front-running
fashion, but wasn’t able to duplicate that performance in the Las Virgenes,
finishing fifth after chasing Balance for much of that mile test. The extra
sixteenth of a mile on Sunday could be what the Christopher Passch trainee needs
to get back to the winner’s circle, and her numbers support her chances as well,
as she has earned a 104 BRIS E1 Pace rating and a 113 BRIS E2 figure for her
last one. Diplomat Lady has been working well in the interim to prepare for this
start and will keep Tyler Baze aboard.

SWEET BELLE (Deputy Commander) is making her stakes debut in this spot,
having taken her past two, a maiden and an allowance, by 5 3/4 total lengths.
She worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 on March 5, the quickest of 86 moves
for that distance that day, and could surprise at long odds. KARLEE’S KITTEN
(Pioneering) was up by five lengths in the stretch of the Sun Devil S. at Turf
Paradise in late January, but took a bad step and lost her rider. She hasn’t
raced since that start and could challenge in the top three if she doesn’t shake
jockey Martin Pedroza.

HORSE B WITH YOU (Slewdledo) will be making her first start for trainer Nick
Hines in this spot, having transferred from the shedrow of Doug O’Neill. The
dark bay miss has made only one start against stakes company, that coming as a
third in the Santa Ysabel S. (G3) going the distance, and could improve here
while returning the main track and to a route of ground. Horse B With You could
earn part, so consider in the exotics.

QUIET KIM (Real Quiet) just broke her maiden in her eighth career start last
out and might need a race before facing this level of competition. CHEERILY
(Ire) (Danehill Dancer) is still a maiden and has spent her three career starts
on the turf. We can’t recommend this unknown. I CAN SEE (Flying Chevron) hasn’t
visited the winner’s circle in close to six months and might not be able to keep
up with these.