Cordiality tops Swingtime field

ARCADIA, Calif. – Cordiality dominated the California-bred stakes for fillies and mares on turf through the spring and summer, winning the Fran’s Valentine Stakes at Santa Anita in May and the Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar in August.

Since those wins were in statebred company, Cordiality is eligible for Sunday’s $70,000 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf. The race is restricted to non-winners of a stakes worth $60,000 at a mile or longer this year, with statebred races excluded.

The Swingtime Stakes was chosen for Cordiality instead of the Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes at Del Mar on Sept. 1. Cordiality was entered in the Mabee Stakes but was withdrawn on race day.

“It was a little bit quick back, and the race looked formidable on paper,” trainer Mark Glatt recalled on Friday. “She’s a mare that has always run well with spacing between races. We erred on the conservative side.”

In June, Cordiality was third in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at Santa Anita in her graded stakes debut.

This year, Cordiality has won 3 of 6 starts and earned $203,430, the highest earnings of the 13 fillies and mares entered in the Swingtime. The race will have 11 starters since the turf rails are set 10 feet out from the permanent position.

Cordiality is owned by Glatt, Lee Drummond, and John Xitco. A 5-year-old mare, Cordiality has won 9 of 23 starts and earned $413,595. She was claimed for $32,000 by her current owners at Sacramento in the summer of 2016 and has since earned $342,935.

In the Swingtime Stakes, Cordiality will be ridden by Tyler Baze, who is likely to have his mount in a stalking position behind Fahan Mura, who was third in the Mabee, and Okinawa, who was second in the Daisycutter Handicap at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar on Aug. 3.

Fahan Mura won the restricted Osunitas Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on July 20 and could easily lead throughout the Swingtime. Fahan Mura is likely to face some pressure from Way to Versailles, a 4-year-old filly who joined trainer Peter Miller’s stable during the summer.

Way to Versailles won the Grade 2 Royal North Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs on turf at Woodbine on July 29. Owned by Gary Barber, Way to Versailles was scheduled to start at Del Mar in the summer but was briefly sidelined by a sore foot, Miller said.

Way to Versailles has won from the front and as a stalker.

“She’s got tactical speed,” Miller said. “I imagine we’ll sit third or fourth. I think the question is the mile, but she’s run well going long and run well going seven-eighths.”

Pavel works for BC Classic

Pavel, who won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs in June, worked five furlongs in 1:02.80 at Santa Anita on Friday in preparation for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill on Nov. 3.

Trainer Doug O’Neill said Pavel galloped out six furlongs in 1:15.40.

“The track was slow, and he broke off slow,” O’Neill said.

Owned by Paul and Zillah Reddam, Pavel, 4, was second to BC Classic future-book favorite Accelerate in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 18, beaten 12 1/2 lengths. Pavel was given a brief rest at a local farm following that race and resumed workouts in late September. Friday’s workout was the third for Pavel since his return to training.

O’Neill said he is still forming his team of Breeders’ Cup runners, adding that the California-bred B Squared is a candidate for the Dirt Mile or Turf Sprint.

Owned by the Reddams, B Squared was ninth at 51-1 in the 2017 BC Sprint at Del Mar. This year, B Squared has one win in 10 starts, the Thor’s Echo Stakes for statebreds at six furlongs here in April. B Squared was second in the E.B. Johnston Stakes for statebreds at Los Alamitos on Sept. 8.

Two $100,000 stakes Monday

There are two $100,000 stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Monday – the Zuma Beach Stakes and the Surfer Girl Stakes for fillies. Both races could yield runners for the BC Juvenile Turf or BC Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 2.

King of Speed, the winner of the Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 2, is part of a projected field of eight in the Zuma Beach. He is expected to race against Honcho, More Ice, Much Better, Rijeka, Ship of the Line, Spin Lightning, and Takeo Squared.

Summering, who won the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 3, will be favored in the Surfer Girl against six expected rivals – Candura, Ladymidtown, Lady Prancealot, Lakerball, Miss Bigly, and My Sweet Baboo.

After Monday, racing resumes at Santa Anita for a three-day weekend next Friday.

BENOIT PHOTO Cordiality, who this year has won 3 of 6 starts, including the Solano Beach Stakes in August, will be ridden by Tyler Baze in the Swingtime Stakes on Sunday.