Donna Veloce could reroute to Starlet

The top 2-year-old filly in California may have one more start this season after all.

Donna Veloce, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, worked an easy halfmile early Monday at Santa Anita and is expected to defer a scheduled freshening to run in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Starlet on Dec. 7.

“She came out of the Breeders’ Cup really good, obviously,” trainer Simon Callaghan said while watching Donna Veloce work a half-mile under Flavien Prat in 50.20 seconds. The slow clocking was fine, according to Callaghan. “It’s like a gallop for her. I told Flavien it’s better to go too slow than too quick.”

The 6:40 a.m. work was the first by Donna Veloce since the Breeders’ Cup. She will work twice more before Callaghan and owner Kaleem Shah fully commit her to the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 Starlet.

“It’s a Grade 1, then we’ll give her some time.” Callaghan said. “If we run, we probably won’t bring her back until March. If we don’t run, maybe we would come back in February.”

Donna Veloce won her sprint debut in late September by more than nine lengths with a 91 Beyer, the co-highest figure this year by a juvenile filly. In just her second start, Donna Veloce missed by a neck as the 2-1 favorite in the BC Juvenile Fillies.

Donna Veloce would top a small field in the Starlet. Bob Baffert could start two – BC Juvenile Fillies thirdplace finisher Bast and recent maiden winner Gingham. Trainer Peter Miller could start multiple sprint stakes winner Leucothea.

– Brad Free

Mundaye Call impresses

After rushing Mundaye Call into a stakes race earlier in her career and then having to back off, a more conservative approach will be taken with her following her easy victory against maidens on Saturday at Del Mar, her trainer, Don Chatlos, said Sunday morning.

Mundaye Call, in the third start of her career, breezed home under Mike Smith in the 6 1/2-furlong race for 2-year-old fillies. She earned a 69 Beyer Figure for the effort. She was second in her debut at Saratoga on Aug. 11, then tired and finished last of seven in the Grade 1 Spinaway on Sept. 1.

“The way she ran this time was what we saw leading up to the Spinaway,” said Chatlos, who trains Mundaye Call for the OXO Equine of Larry Best. “We backed off after that race. There was no pressure. We took our time and it worked out.”

Chatlos said there was no temptation to run back in the Grade 1 Starlet going 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos on Dec. 7.

“Too soon. No chance,” he said. “We’ll look for something at Santa Anita for her next step. We’ll get into the new year and make a plan.”

Santa Anita is scheduled to begin Dec. 26. Its application for dates is scheduled to be heard at the California Horse Racing Board meeting on Thursday in Del Mar.

Mundaye Call, a daughter of Into Mischief, was a $950,000 yearling purchase. All three of her races have been in sprints, but Chatlos thinks she can get two turns “if she relaxes on the lead like she did Saturday.”

Extra Hope atop Damascus list

Extra Hope, third in the Damascus at Santa Anita on Nov. 2, tops the likely starters in the Grade 3, $100,000 Native Diver Stakes on Saturday at Del

Mar.

The Native Diver, a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, had eight nominations, including Santa Anita Derby winner Roadster, who was second in the Damascus. But trainer Bob Baffert said Roadster might instead head to Churchill Downs for the Grade 1 Clark later this month.

Extra Hope, trained by Richard Mandella, is seeking his first stakes win. Flavien Prat has the mount. Prat worked him five furlongs on Saturday at Del Mar in 1:02.80.

Midcourt, Two Thirty Five, and Leading Score – the first three finishers in the Comma to the Top at Santa Anita on Oct. 27 – also are likely for the Native Diver. Leading Score, like Roadster, is trained by Baffert.

McKinzie in light training

Baffert on Saturday offered an update on two of his top older stars. McKinzie, second last time out in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is in light training at Santa Anita, Baffert said. Game Winner, the champion 2-year-old male of 2018, is resting on a farm and will stay in training next year at age 4. Game Winner was second in this year’s Santa Anita Derby but has not raced since winning the Los Alamitos Derby in July.

“He’ll come back to me in January,” Baffert said. “He’ll have a summer and fall campaign.”

◗ Omaha Beach on Monday at Del Mar had his first work since finishing second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, going three furlongs in 36.20 seconds. He is scheduled to make his next start in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on that track’s opening day, Dec. 26.

– Jay Privman