A stellar field of 10 is set to go in Saturday’s $300,000 Santa Margarita
Invitational H. (G1) at Santa Anita, including last year’s runner-up, DREAM OF SUMMER (Siberian
Summer), and the 2004 second-place finisher, STAR PARADE (Arg) (Parade Marshal).
Also in the field are Grade 2 winners SEAFREE (Chief Seattle) and PROPOSED (Benchmark).
Dream of Summer made a name for herself last season after just missing by a
nose in this race and going on to take the Apple Blossom H. (G1). She added the
Gardenia H. (G3) to her resume and a score in the California Cup Matron H.
before rounding out her six-year-old campaign with a runner-up effort in the
Bayakoa H. (G2). The Juan Garcia charge didn’t do so well in her return,
finishing a distant third
in the Sunshine Millions Distaff S. last out, and will be trying to get back to her
winning ways with Alex Solis in the irons on Saturday.
Star Parade also dropped her first start of the year on the turf, but redeemed herself
back on the main track with a
nice two-length score in the Santa Maria H. (G1), a race she also won in 2004.
The Darrell Vienna-trained seven-year-old mare had ended 2005 with a four-length
victory over Dream of Summer in the Bayakoa H. (G2) and will keep Martin Pedroza, aboard for her four
past races, in the saddle.
Proposed will try to turn the tables on Star Parade after finishing second in
the Santa Maria last out. The dark bay miss made her four-year-old bow a winning
one in the El Encino S. (G2) and will also have to face the queen of the last
leg of the La Canada series in Seafree. Trained by Bobby Frankel, Seafree posted
a 1 3/4-length victory in the La Canada S. (G2) and will get Victor Espinoza
aboard for the first time.
The complete field for the nine-furlong test, in post position order with
riders and weights, is Dream of Summer, 120; Seafree, 115; HEALTHY ADDICTION
(Boston Harbor), Jon Court, 116; SANTA CANDIDA (Arg) (Espaciado), Omar Berrio,
112; Star Parade, 118; PLAY BALLADO (Saint Ballado), Tyler Baze,
114; HOLLYWOOD STORY (Wild Rush), Garrett Gomez, 116; BENDING STRINGS (American
Chance), Corey Nakatani, 116; Proposed, Pat Valenzuela, 117; AWESOME LADY
(Bianconi), Matt Garcia, 112.