Closing Remarks May Get Last Word in Royal Heroine

With standout California turfer Quattroelle  absent, Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks  rates a huge chance from off the pace in the $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) April 1 going a mile on turf at Santa Anita Park. For older fillies and mares at one mile on turf, the Royal Heroine attracted a field of six—four of which exit the March 4 Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) which was won by Quattroelle.

A 5-year-old California-bred mare by Vronsky , Closing Remarks was full of run at the rail in the run up the backside March 4 but had to steady and lose all position three furlongs out when pacesetter Kitty Kitana  was pulled up in the race. 

Although she was shuffled back at a critical point of call, Closing Remarks, under regular pilot Joe Bravo, was able to gather herself, swing wide, and mount an impressive rally, finishing third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths. 

Trained by Carla Gaines, Closing Remarks was third, beaten one length by Quattroelle, two starts back going a mile on turf in the Feb. 4 Megahertz Stakes (G3T) and checked in second three starts back going a mile and one eighth on turf in the Dec. 31 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T). 

Out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks will thus be making her fourth start of the current meet. A winner of the California Cup Oaks at a mile on turf here at age 3, Closing Remarks has been a gem of consistency for her connections, placing in seven graded stakes while compiling a race record of 3-5-4 in 17 starts with earnings of $434,820. 

With Bravo back aboard on Saturday, Closing Remarks will hope to notch her first-ever graded stakes victory. 

With talented Japanese jockey Kazushi Kimura riding for the first time, the Bo Hirsch homebred Honey Jar  is a lightly raced 5-year-old mare who appears very much on the improve for trainer Michael McCarthy.  Off as the 8-5 favorite in a first condition allowance down the hillside turf on March 4, Honey Jar, ridden by John Velazquez, was an impressive one-length victress at about 6 1/2 furlongs and she galloped out far in front of the field. 

A Kentucky-bred by the Lion Heart  stallion Kantharos  , Honey Jar, in her lone try at one mile on turf two starts back on Jan. 28, opened up by near-double digits a half mile out and tired to finish second by a length.  Back at one mile on Saturday, Honey Jar could prove an elusive front-running target. 

Fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Quattroelle in the Buena Vista March 4, the Phil D'Amato-trained School Dance  had no apparent excuses at 5-1. The filly finished fifth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths as the 2-1 favorite two starts back in the Megahertz. 

A close second three starts back versus sophomore fillies going a mile and a quarter on turf in the Dec. 26 American Oaks (G1T), School Dance, a 4-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom , is owned by Agave Racing Stable and Rockin Robin Racing Stables and will be ridden for the sixth consecutive time by Ramon Vazquez.  

A considerable question mark in Saturday's Royal Heroine is the 4-year-old Irish-bred Seisai , who will make her United States debut for Will Farish and John Sadler.  Although she was winless in her last 10 Irish starts, she's been facing stiff competition, often in group company. She is 2-2-4 in 14 races overall.

Nadette  and Very Scary  complete the field.

Entries: Royal Heroine S. (G2T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 01, 2023, Race 7

• Grade IIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	School Dance (KY)	Ramon A. Vazquez	120	Philip D'Amato	-
2	Honey Jar (KY)	Kazushi Kimura	120	Michael W. McCarthy	-
3	Closing Remarks (CA)	Joe Bravo	120	Carla Gaines	-
4	Nadette (FR)	Lanfranco Dettori	120	Neil D. Drysdale	-
5	Very Scary (KY)	Kent J. Desormeaux	120	Ian Kruljac	-
6	Seisai (IRE)	Umberto Rispoli	120	John W. Sadler	-