The feature race on Monday's eight-race card at Santa Anita Park, a first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the main track, is likely to produce a starter or two for the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 8.
Installed as the 6-5 favorite in a six-horse is Coffee in Bed, an eye-catching debut winner here going six furlongs on Jan. 6 for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. Coffee in Bed was slated to return in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel at 1 1/16 miles on March 6, but was forced to miss the race after she tied up, which is medically known as exertional rhabdomyolisis and is akin to severe muscle cramps in humans.
Coffee in Bed retuned to the work tab two days later and has worked three times in all for her encore, which includes a half-mile drill in 48.0 seconds eight days ago.
“She tied up and I had to take her out of that race, but she's really been doing well since and I expect a lot,” Mandella said.
In her bow, Coffee in Bed settled just off the pace while racing on the inside under Mike Smith. When she was angled out for racing room entering the stretch drive, Coffee in Bed uncorked an impressive turn of foot to win going away by 1 ¾ lengths. The winning time of 1:10.66 returned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the co-highest in the field.
Mandella said a good performance on Monday could put Coffee in Bed into the Santa Anita Oaks going 1 1/8 miles.
“There's a chance,” Mandella said of running back in the Oaks. “I'm sure all of us in this race are thinking the same thing.”
Coffee in Bed was a $500,000 auction purchase as a yearling by owner Spendthrift Farm.
The 9-5 second choice on the morning line is Getthemoney, who is making her sophomore bow for trainer Brian Koriner. She has been sidelined since a blowout 6 ½-furlong maiden win when making her second start on Sept. 11 at Del Mar. The effort also earned a 77 Beyer.
“She's had little problems along the way, she's a filly that gets really nervous and has tied up on me a few times,” Koriner said. “That's why it's taken us so long to get her in a race. We had her entered a few weeks ago but scratched because she tied up on us.”
By Midnight Lute, Getthemoney has worked five times for her comeback. Koriner acknowledged a slight concern is the seven-furlong distance, which is an elongated sprint that typically requires plenty of fitness.
“I don't know if she's ready to get seven-eights, but she's a nice filly who's worked well. We'll see what happens,” Koriner said.
The other main principals are maiden winners Lily Poo (7-2) and and Anywho (8-1), who will both be making their first starts for new trainers. Lily Poo earned her diploma sprinting at Del Mar Dec. 2 for trainer Rolando Quinonez. She was subsequently acquired by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners in a private purchase and is now trained by Michael McCarthy.
Anywho won her one and only start last October for trainer Tom Albertrani at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet in New York. She is now trained by John Sadler for Hronis Racing.
Monday's feature goes as the seventh race with a scheduled post time of 4:11 p.m. The field in post position order: Getthemoney, Hector Berrios (9-5); Coffee in Bed, Mike Smith (6-5); Liberal Lady, Juan Hernandez (8-1); Lily Poo, Ramon Vazquez (7-2); Anywho, Flavien Prat (8-1): Classymademoiselle, Tiago Pereira (20-1).
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