Santa Barbara J

At Santa Anita on Saturday, the $200,000 Santa Barbara H. (G2) over 1 1/4
grassy miles shapes up as the coming-out party for the talented ARGENTINA (Ire)
(Sadler’s Wells). In her American debut for Bobby Frankel last time out, the
well bred four-year-old finished like the proverbial freight train for second,
beaten only a half-length by Silver Cup (Ire) (Almutawakel [GB]), in the 1
1/8-mile Santa Ana H. (G2), garnering a gaudy 111 BRIS Late Pace rating. She
will relish the added furlong here, especially considering that her most
commendable efforts in France last year came at 1 1/4 miles or slightly longer.
A French stakes winner in 2005, Argentina ran perhaps her finest race in defeat
when closing for second to the brilliant Divine Proportions in the Prix de Diane
Hermes (Fr-G1) (French Oaks) last June. Prior to that, she was runner-up in the
Prix Saint-Alary (Fr-G1), beating Naissance Royale (Giant’s Causeway), a
subsequent Grade 2 winner in the United States. If she turns in the kind of performance
she’s capable of, the other six distaffers are racing for second. Alex Solis
will reunite with the handsome bay.

SHARP LISA (Dixieland Band), a Grade 1 winner on the main track, was a
deceptively good fourth, beaten only three-quarters of a length, in the Santa
Ana in her first try on the lawn. The Doug O’Neill filly uncharacteristically
carved out the early pace, then dropped back, only to come again strongly in
deep stretch to earn a 106 Late Pace rating. Not only does she figure to learn
from that experience, but she’s another who should enjoy the longer trip. Sharp
Lisa inherits a ton of stamina from her dam, a Dynaformer half-sister to
multiple Grade 1 turf star Bien Bien. Corey Nakatani sticks with the
four-year-old.

AUBONNE (Ger) (Monsun) scored in the La Zanzara H. at this course and
distance two starts back. Trainer Neil Drysdale thought enough of her to throw
her in against males in her latest outing, the San Luis Obispo H. (G2) in
February, but that race is a total throw-out. She was reportedly compromised by
a foot problem and faded to last in the eight-horse field. Since then, she’s
turned in solid works for an astute horseman who’s winning at a 21 percent clip
in the “31-90 days away” category. Also, she’s won or placed in four of eight
efforts at the distance. Aubonne will likely be forwardly placed by Victor
Espinoza, and she will make the closers work to gun her down.

Frankel’s other contender is ETERNAL MELODY (NZ) (Shinko King), who ran
evenly for third in the La Zanzara in her second start after a 17-month layoff.
She came back to win a 1 1/8-mile allowance next time out, and with that under
her belt, she’s eligible to show more in her rematch with Aubonne this time
around. Because Solis has opted for Argentina, Garrett Gomez picks up the mount.
The New Zealand-bred has posted century-topping Late Pace figures in five of her
six U.S. races, dating back to May 2004, and it would be no surprise if she
cracks the top three.

Last year’s Italian Oaks (Ity-G1) runner-up HALLOWED DREAM (Ire) (Alhaarth) took a long time to break her maiden, as she was often ambitiously placed
during her European career. Since switching to Ben Cecil and being freshened in
mid-summer 2005, however, she’s reeled off a three-race winning streak at Santa
Anita, most recently capturing an allowance at this distance. This is a sizeable
step up in class, though, and her Speed ratings as a whole don’t inspire a lot
of confidence. Jon Court takes the call.

THEATER R. N. (Theatrical [Ire]) has back class as a Grade 2 winner when
formerly trained by Frankel, but she’s lost her way since then. She ran only
twice in 2005 for Bill Mott, both at Saratoga, a decent third in the Waya S.
followed by a sixth and last in the Glens Falls H. (G3). Now she’s turned up
with Mike Harrington and has only a fourth in that allowance won by Eternal
Melody to her credit. Even with Pat Valenzuela in the irons, it would take a
leap of imagination to see her involved at the finish. CISSY (Arg) (Acceptable)
just dropped a nose decision to Hallowed Dream in that 1 1/4-mile allowance, and
although she could improve in her third start off a layoff for Darrell Vienna,
she looks up against it here.