Salty group in California Distaff

Long Hot Summer has raced 17 times, but after her last start on Aug. 31 at Del Mar, it was time to go back to school.

Long Hot Summer acted up in the gate and had an assistant starter try and straighten her out at the exact moment the gate opened, an imperfect storm that left her well behind the field and resulted in her being declared a non-starter.

In preparation for her return to action in the $100,000 California Distaff Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita, trainer Phil D’Amato gave Long Hot Summer some schooling sessions at the gate in the hopes that the incident last time was an aberration.

“She’s gone back to the gate the last couple of times,” D’Amato said Thursday morning. “The strange thing is, she’s the most gentle horse in there most of the time. It was just bad luck.”

Assuming she comes out of the gate cleanly, Long Hot Summer will be one of the main players in the California Distaff, a 6 1/2-furlong race on the hillside turf course for California-bred older females. Long Hot Summer is a two-time winner down the hill, showed in her Aug. 4 start at Del Mar that she has come back as good as ever, and is fresh for a fall campaign, this being only her fourth start since a six-month vacation.

To prevail, though, Long Hot Summer will have to outrun the razor-sharp Miss Sunset, who is seeking her third straight win since returning to sprints, and Moonless Sky, an intriguing turn back play who is unbeaten on Santa Anita’s turf course but has yet to race down the hill.

The California Distaff goes as race 6 on a nine-race card.

KEY CONTENDERS

Long Hot Summer, by Street Boss Last 3 Beyers: 79-89-80

◗ Her two victories over this course include a second-level allowance in which she beat males.

◗ Joe Talamo has ridden her in all her prior starts, but since he is at Keeneland on Saturday Flavien Prat has picked up the mount.

Miss Sunset, by Into Mischief Last 3 Beyers: 89-82-82

◗ She was a terror at Del Mar, where she won twice after moving back to a sprint and having blinkers removed.

◗ Both her last two wins were on dirt, but she won her lone try on this downhill layout in the Sweet Life back in February.

◗ Mike Smith rode her to Del Mar victories, but he, too, is at Keeneland for the Queen Elizabeth II so Gary Stevens will sub.

Moonless Sky, by Bold Chieftain Last 3 Beyers: 88-83-87

◗ Milers do particularly well on this layout, so this cutback could prove right in her wheelhouse.

◗ All four of her career wins have been on Santa Anita’s turf course, once via disqualification, all with Kent Desormeaux up.

Barbara Beatrice, by Grazen Last 3 Beyers: 84-79-85

◗ Like Long Hot Summer, she is trained by D’Amato, but she is racing for the first time since December.