Juvenile fillies take spotlight

ARCADIA, Calif. – It’s full speed ahead for the 2-year-old program Thursday at Santa Anita, where two maiden races for California-bred juvenile fillies upstage the allowance feature for fillies and mares.

Nineteen fillies entered the maiden race, which was split into two divisions. Race 1 pits debut runner-up Lippy against fast-working firsttimer Nardini. Race 3 is led by Naughty Tiger, who set the pace and finished third in her debut. She faces a muddled cast.

The maiden races Thursday share the spotlight with the race-6 feature, an entry-level allowance for filly-mare sprinters on the downhill course. Front-runner Lori’s Attitude and late-runner Goseecal battle six others in the 6 1/2-furlong Bet Santa Anita with DRF Bets: drfbets.com

turf sprint.

Juvenile maidens are running to form this spring. Six of the 12 races have been won by favorites, and nine winners paid $6 or less. In the first race Thursday, bettors are likely to focus on Lippy and Nardini.

Lippy is trained by Doug O’Neill, who already has five wins from 18 2-year-old starters. But the debut by Lippy was less than satisfying. The favorite, she chased the pace, was no match late, and lost by 2 1/4 lengths. Perhaps she will improve. She probably needs to improve, because her main rival looks ready to fire.

Nardini is trained by David Hofmans, who is 4 for 8 with debut 2-year-olds the past three years. In addition to two sharp recent works, Nardini is bred to win early. Sired by the secondcrop stallion Acclamation, Nardini gets speed from her female side.

Nardini was produced by Ismene, a precocious 2-year-old in 2011. She won her summer debut, followed by two stakes for 2-year-olds. Her first foal was Ismelucky, 2-year-old maiden winner second out and winner of a restricted stakes for 2-year-olds in her third start. Nardini, with works, pedigree, and a win-early trainer, is live in the opener.

Race 3, however, is difficult. Naughty Tiger set the pace and tired to third, nearly two lengths behind race-1 contender Lippy. Naughty Tiger could improve, though she faded readily first out. Secondtime starter Takahiro’s Dream raced wide and was green in the lane in her debut. She is another that could improve.

Naturalborn Singer finished with run in her fourth-place debut. O’Neill-trained Settle It was favored in both her starts, a runner-up finish followed by a dull fifth. Race 3 is wide open.

The feature race is easy. Lori’s Attitude seeks her third straight on the hill, moving up in class after battling on a hot pace and winning a $32,000 claiming sprint.

To win, she must hold off late-runner Goseecal, a claiming winner on the hill two back followed by a creditable third at the same class level she runs in Thursday. Tizanillusion, Go Mary, Robin’s Love, and Battleground State are borderline contenders.