Turf females eye graded glory

ARCADIA, Calif. – Responsibleforlove twice just missed in graded stakes during the autumn. She lost the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita on Sept. 30 by three-quarters of a length and the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar on Nov. 23 by a half-length.

The Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes, at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares on Saturday at Santa Anita, is the final chance this year for Responsibleforlove to get her first graded stakes win.

A 4-year-old filly trained by Hall of Famer Neil Drysdale, Responsibleforlove is not alone in that regard. The other five runners in the $100,000 Frankel – Elysea’s World, Gliding By, Laseen, Midnight Crossing, and Penjade – have yet to win a graded stakes, though it has not been for a lack of trying. They have all appeared in graded stakes this year.

Responsibleforlove and Penjade are the only 2017 stakes winners in the field. Responsibleforlove won the CTT and TOC Handicap at Del Mar in August. Penjade won the Forever Together Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 25 for her fourth win in five starts this year.

KEY CONTENDERS

Responsibleforlove, by Duke of Marmalade Last 3 Beyers: 91-93-90

◗ The distance will be a test for Responsibleforlove. She has been most effective at longer distances.

In the Rodeo Drive at 1 1/4 miles, Responsibleforlove raced in traffic in the stretch and closed well to finish third, three-quarters of a length behind winner Avenge.

“She maybe should have won that,” Drysdale said. “She was stuck on the rail and came up late and missed.”

In the Red Carpet Handicap at 1 3/8 miles, Responsible forlove led with a furlong to go and was beaten a half-length by How Unusual.

◗ The Frankel lacks a confirmed front-runner, although Responsibleforlove did set the pace earlier this year when second in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf in April.

Elysea’s World, by Champs Elysees Last 3 Beyers: 95-96-95

◗ Elysea’s World is winless in eight starts this year, and has been second or third in five graded stakes, in Florida, Maryland, Ontario, and New York.

“She has the distinction of being the most unlucky horse of the entire season for us,” trainer Chad Brown said. “A few times, I’ve felt strongly that she ran the best race and was the best horse, but she found herself in trouble.”

◗ Elysea’s World finished fourth by a half-length to Penjade in the Forever Together Stakes after racing in traffic in the stretch.

Midnight Crossing, by Dark Angel Last 3 Beyers: 79-78-76

◗ Midnight Crossing will have her first start for trainer Richard Baltas and the partnership of Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing in the Frankel Stakes. Purchased for $240,000 at Keeneland last month, Midnight Crossing was fourth after a wide trip in the River Memories Sakes on the all-weather surface at Woodbine on Nov. 3.