Velvet Mesquite Brings Hill Skill into Maddy

Experience could be crucial in the $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes (gr. IIIT) down Santa Anita Park's signature hillside turf course Oct. 22, and Harris Farms' homebred Velvet Mesquite has had the most success traveling down the hill.



The 5-year-old In Excess mare trained by Blake Heap hasn't hit the board in her past two starts over dirt, but has a 5-0-2 record in nine career trips down the hill. Her last victory, back in 2014, came down the hill in the California Distaff Handicap and her only graded stakes try also came at the trip, when she finished third in the Monrovia Stakes (gr. IIT) in January. She was also third, by a half-length, in her previous trip down the hill in the Irish O'Brien Stakes.



But Velvet Mesquite will have to take on Ben Keswick's Spirit of Xian, the lone U.S. graded winner in the field. Trained by Richard Mandella, the 3-year-old Kodiac filly struck in the 1 1/8-mile Providencia Stakes (gr. IIT) in April, but hasn't won in two starts down the hill.



Mandella also has a pair of Brazilian-bred runners entered in 4-year-old filly Off the Road, who will be making her U.S. debut but was a group I winner in Brazil in 2014, and 6-year-old mare Baruta, an allowance winner.



Last out stakes winners Chati's On Top and Amaranth will also make a run in the Maddy. Chati's On Top took the mile Solana Beach Handicap at Del Mar Aug. 16 and Amaranth took the Asparagus Stakes over dirt at Stockton.



Theatre Star, a stakes winner at Delaware Park in June, and Kool Kat, an allowance winner last time out at Kentucky Downs, complete the field.