Three Horses Capable of a Starlet Stakes Upset
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Pacific Heat, above winning the Golden State Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar, has a chance to pull off an upset on Saturday in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos. (BENOIT photo)
The $300,000 Starlet Stakes is a qualifying race for the 2016 Kentucky Oaks worth 10 points to the winner, and the 1 1/16-mile race on Saturday at Los Alamitos drew a field of nine 2-year-old fillies.
Four of the main contenders — Treasuring, Street Fancy, Surfside Tiara, and Pretty N Cool — for the Starlet raced against each other in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 15. I believe a few of these fillies will attract a lot of betting attention on Saturday.
That said, for my money I am going to look at several newcomers who did not compete in the Desi Arnaz and might be a bit overlooked in the wagering.
Below are three horses I think can pull off an upset in the Starlet:
#4 Pacific Heat: This filly is undefeated and untested in two career races, having won the Golden State Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Oct. 29 and at Los Alamitos on Sept. 25. Most recently, Pacific Heat showed the ability to rate slightly off the pace in the early stages of her race, and I believe those tactics will come in handy again on Saturday. Joe Talamo, who was aboard for Pacific Heat’s most recent win at Del Mar, will ride again in the Starlet.
PACIFIC HEAT
BENOIT photo
#7 Mama’s Sugar: She also is undefeated, having won the only race so far in her career, a maiden race at Del Mar on Nov. 27. Trainer Peter Miller, who is currently having a successful meet at Los Alamitos, is certainly showing confidence in Mama’s Sugar by placing her against Grade 1 company in only her second career race. Perhaps Mama’s Sugar will be able to take a big step forward on Saturday.
#8 Sutton’s Smile: Trainer Philip D'Amato began this filly’s career on the main track, but most recently she has found most of her success on the turf. The turf-to-dirt angle might work in Sutton’s Smile’s favor on Saturday. If it does, she could make some noise in the homestretch. Jockey Santiago Gonzalez will be aboard for the first time in the Starlet.
Betting Strategy A:
$10 win/place: #4 Pacific Heat
Betting Strategy B:
$2 exacta box: #4 Pacific Heat, #7 Mama’s Sugar, #8 Sutton’s Smile ($12)
$8 win: #4 Pacific Heat ($8)
$300,000 Starlet StakesSaturday, Los Alamitos, Race 8, 6:58 p.m. ET1 1/16 miles, dirt, 2-year-old fillies
PP
Horse
Jockey
Trainer
Owner(s)
Odds
1
Treasuring
Victor Espinoza
Bob Baffert
Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings or McGhee
TBA
2
Street Fancy
Mike Smith
Philip D'Amato
Agave Racing Stable
TBA
3
Stays in Vegas
Alex Solis
Jerry Hollendorfer
Jungle Racing or KMN Racing or LNJ Foxwoods
TBA
4
Pacific Heat
Joe Talamo
Peter Eurton
Alesia, Burns or Ciaglia Racing, et al.
TBA
5
Patriotic Diamond
Drayden Van Dyke
Patrick Biancone
Diamond 100 Racing Club
TBA
6
Surfside Tiara
Rafael Bejarano
Jerry Hollendorfer
M Racing or Dang or Gatto Racing, et al.
TBA
7
Mama's Sugar
David Charles Lopez
Peter Miller
Altamira Racing Stable, David J. Lanzman Racing Stable or Rockingham Ranch
TBA
8
Sutton's Smile
Santiago Gonzalez
Philip D'Amato
Turnley Farms Louisiana
TBA
9
Pretty N Cool
Martin Garcia
Bob Baffert
Pegram, Watson or Weitman
TBA