Sassy Little Lila fresh for Buena Vista

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sassy Little Lila, second in the Grade 1 American Oaks here in December 2016, will have her first start for trainer Richard Mandella in what should be a competitive running of the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Sassy Little Lila was previously trained by Brad Cox and owned by Sheep Pond Partners and Michael Ryan. At the Fasig-Tipton November sale in 2017, Sassy Little Lila was listed as purchased for $600,000 by Ryan and Jeff Drown.

Sassy Little Lila arrived at Santa Anita shortly after the start of the winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26, and Mandella is enthusiastic about her first start of 2018.

“She’s had a rest and trained nicely,” Mandella said. “She doesn’t have any flashy works but has looked good doing it.”

Sassy Little Lila has not raced since finishing 12th of 14 in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 4. Last June, Sassy Little Lila was second in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park.

By Artie Schiller, Sassy Little Lila has won 3 of 11 starts and earned $415,045 but has yet to win a stakes. The $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes is run at a mile for fillies and mares. Other projected starters are Fault, Insta Erma, Juno, Madam Dancealot, Madame Stripes, and Sweet Charity, all stakes winners.

The Buena Vista Stakes is the most prestigious of four six-figure stakes at Santa Anita through Monday’s Presidents Day program.

The stakes winners Coniah, Faypien, Selcourt, and Skye Diamonds are candidates for Sunday’s Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes, a $100,000 race for fillies and mares at six furlongs. There are two $200,000 races for California-bred 3-year-olds on Monday – the California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles and the Cal Cup Oaks at a mile on turf for fillies.

Pee Wee Reese to get respite

Pee Wee Reese, a winner of two stakes at Santa Anita since July, will not race again until the spring at the earliest.

Trainer Phil D’Amato said on Sunday that Pee Wee Reese will have a rest at owner and breeder Nick Alexander’s central California farm after tailing off in recent weeks. Pee Wee Reese won the Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course Jan. 1 and was nominated for the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf last Saturday before D’Amato opted not to start the 5-year-old horse.

“We’ll take him to the farm and give him a breather,” D’Amato said. “He gives you a couple of brilliant races and needs a little time.

“In 30 days, we’ll see whether he’s picked it up at the farm.”

A California-bred by Tribal Rule, Pee Wee Reese has won 6 of 11 starts and earned $345,490. Pee Wee Reese won the Grade 3 American Stakes here last July but did not start again until he finished third in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 26.

Pavel likely for Big Cap

Pavel, a troubled fourth in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 3, is a likely starter in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 10.

The $600,000 Big Cap at 1 1/4 miles will be Pavel’s fourth start in a Grade 1. Pavel was third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park last October, 10th in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar in November, and fourth in the Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26.

In the San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, Pavel raced in traffic on the turn and in early stretch and was beaten 4 1/2 lengths by the winner, Accelerate, another Big Cap contender. The trouble may have cost Pavel a win, trainer Doug O’Neill said.

“I think we’re all in agreement he would have been right there,” O’Neill said.

Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Pavel has won 2 of 7 starts and earned $347,400.

“We’re looking forward to having a big year with him,” O’Neill said.

Two trainers fined

Trainers Jack Carava and Peter Miller were fined last weekend by stewards for medication violations in the second half of 2017.

Carava was fined $1,000 after Li’l Grazen, who was entered to race at Santa Anita on Oct. 29, was administered an oral paste to reduce lactic acid buildup, according to stewards. The medication cannot be given on race day, which led to the scratch of Li’l Grazen.

Miller was fined $2,500 after Starr of Quality tested in excess of the permitted level of the analgesic phenylbutazone at Del Mar on Aug. 23. Starr of Quality was second in a starter allowance with a $32,000 claiming option. According to a ruling published Saturday, this was Miller’s third penalty for a bute overage within a year.