ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 15, 2014)–Irish-bred Gulsary, trained by Tom Proctor, and English-bred Moone’s My Name, conditioned by John Sadler, head a field of seven older fillies and mares in Saturday’s $75,0000 Megahertz Stakes at one mile on turf Saturday at Santa Anita.
A 5-year-old Galileo mare, Gulsary was a sharp mile turf winner in her second stateside start Oct. 17 and she comes off a late-running third place finish as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade III, 1 1/8 miles turf Robert J. Frankel Stakes Dec. 29.
Third behind Moone’s My Name two starts back in a classified allowance going 1 1/16 miles on turf at Betfair Hollywood Park Dec. 5, Gulsary bested her rival by 1 ½ lengths in the Frankel. Owned by Glen Hill Farm, Gulsary will be ridden for the first time by Mike Smith as she seeks her fourth win in her 15th career start. (Regular rider Gary Stevens will be at Gulfstream Park Saturday to ride Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man in the Sunshine Millions Classic).
Fifth at 7-2 in the Frankel, Moone’s My Name, a 6-year-old mare by the Red Ransom stallion Intikhab, was attentive to the pace before tiring in the Frankel, and her classified allowance win Dec. 5 was accomplished in gate to wire fashion. Ten of her 21 career starts have come at a flat mile, resulting in two wins, a second and four thirds.
Owned by the Batchelor Family Trust, Moone’s My Name was away slowly when finishing a close third three starts back in the Grade III, one mile turf Wilshire Handicap April 28. She is 21-7-3-5 overall and will be ridden back by Rafael Bejarano.
Fifth in the Megahertz a year ago, Bob Baffert’s Lady Ten couldn’t make up any ground when fifth, beaten 3 ¾ lengths by Moone’s My Name Dec. 5 at odds of 5-2. A winner of the Grade III, one mile turf Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita Oct. 27, 2012, Lady Ten has solid credentials, including two wins, three seconds and a third at one mile on turf.
A 5-year-old mare by Rock Hard Ten bred in Kentucky by her owners, Mercedes Stable LLC, Lady Ten is 13-4-5-2 overall, with earnings of $249,014.
Trainer Mike Mitchell will send out the up and coming Fanticola, who rides a three-game winning streak and comes off an impressive gate to wire score in a second condition allowance going 1 1/16 miles on turf Dec. 12 at Hollywood Park.
In her only previous try at a mile on grass, Fanticola was an impressive gate to wire maiden winner Sept. 4 at Del Mar. Owned by Anthony Fanticola and Joseph Scardino, Canadian-bred Fanticola is by the Sunday Silence stallion Silent Name. She is 6-3-2-1 overall.
Well beaten in the Grade II, 1 1/16 miles Bayakoa Stakes Dec. 7, trainer Ron McAnally’s homebred Charm the Maker gets back to preferred conditions in the Megahertz and figures to get a stalking trip under veteran Patrick Valenzuela. Bred in-part by McAnally’s wife, Debbie, Charm the Maker, a 5-year-old mare by Empire Maker, has earnings of $338,240 and an overall mark of 16-3-2-3.
The complete field for the Megahertz, to be run as the fifth on a nine-race card Saturday, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Gulsary, Mike Smith, 117; Moone’s My Name, Rafael Bejarano, 120; Charlie Em, Corey Nakatani, 123; Dancingtothestars, Mario Gutierrez, 120; Lady Ten, Edwin Maldonado, 117; Fanticola, Joe Talamo, 117, and Charm the Maker, Patrick Valenzuela, 123.
First post time on Saturday is 12:30 p.m., with admission gates open at 10:30 a.m. Santa Anita will guarantee $150,000 in each Saturday’s Pick Six pool for the remainder of the Winter Meet.