Fanticola Up to Defend Royal Heroine Title

A wide-open field of 14 will contest the May 5 $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park, including defending winner Fanticola. The Royal Heroine headlines an eight-race card on opening day of the California oval's spring meet, which will run through July 10.

Fanticola, the likely favorite, stretches out off a close third in the 6 1/2 furlong Las Cienegas Stakes (gr. IIIT), which, due to rain, was moved from Santa Anita's hillside turf course to the main track April 10.

Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joe Scardino, the 6-year-old daughter of Silent Name   had been idle since a fourth in the Sept. 26 Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. I) going 1 1/4 miles on the Santa Anita lawn, and likely needed her race in the Las Cienegas for trainer Phil D'Amato.

She gets her preferred trip Thursday, as she has three wins, a second, and a third from five tries at a mile on grass. Naturally quick, Fanticola can be expected to make or press the early pace under regular rider Joe Talamo from the outside post. D'Amato also has Michael House's stakes-winning Havanna Belle, coming off a 6 1/2-length win in a mile allowance April 7.

Ike and Dawn Thrash's 4-year-old grade I winner Her Emmynency could also factor, but the daughter of Successful Appeal   needs to rebound from a disappointing fifth as the 4-5 favorite in the March 26 Santa Ana (gr. IIT). The winner of the 2015 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT) last October at Keeneland made the early lead before fading last time out, and will shorten up a furlong in her third start for trainer Kristin Mulhall.