Rain may shrink Wishing Well

ARCADIA, Calif. – Thirteen fillies and mares were entered in the $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes on the turf Sunday at Santa Anita, but if the weather forecast is accurate the field will shrink to just a handful on the main track.

Three turf races are scheduled Sunday, including a claiming route for fillies and mares, race 1, and a California-bred optional-claiming route which is race 8. Planted smack in the middle is the 6 1/2-furlong Wishing Well, a restricted sprint for fillies and mares which goes as race 5, anchor leg of the pick five and second leg of the pick six.

Weather.com calls for a “100 percent” chance of rain Sunday in Arcadia. Turf sprints are the first to be affected in rain, because the course crosses the main track at the top of the lane – from turf to dirt to turf. When the track is fast, it is no problem. When the track is wet, turf sprints are moved to the main track.

Cadet Roni, a winner three of her last four dirt sprints, would benefit from a change to the main track in the Wishing Well. Sheer Pleasure also stands to gain from a surface switch. Cadet Roni and Sheer Pleasure both have raced on turf with little success. Their best efforts have been on dirt.

If the race stays on grass, it will be tough to find the winner. My Year Is a Day finished a respectable fourth in the Grade 3 Megahertz at a mile two weeks ago and could inherit favoritism. Kool Kat has run races that put her in the hunt. The Wishing Well is restricted to fillies and mares who have not won a graded stakes since July 1.

WISHING WELL, RACE 5

KEY CONTENDERS

Cadet Roni, by Colonel John (Last 3 Beyers: 82-80-80)

◗ Mark Glatt trains Cadet Roni, whose 3-for-4 dirt-sprint record since August coincides with the addition of blinkers. Rafael Bejarano rides.

◗ Cadet Roni is drawn on the outside, and figures for a pressing trip in the clear.

Sheer Pleasure, by Birdonthewire (Last 3 Beyers: 74-69-81)

◗ A wide-trip sixth last out, Sheer Pleasure is likely to improve with a race under her belt. Trained by Phil D’Amato, she won the $200,000 Melair Stakes in May, and her comeback was her first start in more than five months.

My Year Is a Day, by King’s Best (Last 3 Beyers: 85-82-80)

◗ A turf specialist, she also is trained by D’Amato.