Horse Racing Odds: Santa Maria Handicap
by Patricia Woo | Feb 8 2010
Some of the biggest names in the older-female category of racehorses will be competing against each other on Saturday, Feb. 13 in the Santa Maria Handicap. This Grade 1 race for fillies and mares 4 years old is run at 1 1/16 miles and has a purse of $250,000. Life is Sweet, Zardana and St. Trinians are among the big names nominated.
Ever since winning the 2009 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park, Life is Sweet has been awaiting the perfect race for her 2010 debut. The 5-year-old daughter of Storm Cat was scratched by trainer John Shirreffs from the turf-run Gr. 2 $150,000 San Gorgonio Handicap on Jan. 2 after looking less than 100 percent after a workout: "I sent her out for some exercise and she came back a little tight is all,” he said at the time, adding that the Santa Maria Handicap would be his trainee's next target. Life is Sweet won three straight races at Santa Anita Park at the beginning of 2009, including the $300,000 Gr. 1 Santa Margarita Handicap mid-March, and looks to be in top form for the Santa Maria Handicap; she had a recent breeze of 6 furlongs in 1:12.60 at Santa Anita Park. She finished 2009 with a record of 8-4-1-1 and $1,620,000.
Another John Shirreffs trainee likely to make her 2010 debut in Saturday's race is Brazil-bred Zardana. This 6-year-old mare had a breakout campaign in 2009, winning three of seven starts and $171,820. Her most notable win was her first graded stakes victory, the $150,000 Gr. 2 Bayakoa Handicap at Hollywood Park on Dec. 5. Whether she will take to the synthetic track at Santa Anita Park as she did the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park will be a big factor in this Crimson Tide mare's success. In a recent workout at Hollywood Park, Zardana posted a 5-furlong breeze in 1:01.80.
Making waves after three straight victories upon arriving from Great Britain is St. Trinians, a 5-year-old Piccolo mare. Trained by Mike Mitchell, St. Trinians has taken to synthetic tracks, which seem to accommodate her unusual gait. She won her first stakes race – the $65,000 Paseana Handicap at Santa Anita Park on Jan. 9 – by 3 ¾-lengths but the jump up in class will be a formidable test. So far in 2010, she is 1-1-0-0 and has earned $42,420.
Last year, Joe Talamo rode Santa Teresita to victory in a time of 1:41.88. Who will win the 2010 edition of the Santa Maria Handicap? Bet on horse racing at the Bodog Racebook!
