None Above the Law seeks stakes triple

ARCADIA, Calif. – Forgive None Above the Law for his sixth-place finish in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes for 3-yearolds at Santa Anita in early March.

While the gelding may not have been a Triple Crown candidate, he has won three of his four starts since the March 6 San Felipe, including two consecutive stakes at Golden Gate Fields in advance of a start in Saturday’s $150,000 Snow Chief Stakes at Santa Anita.

“He’s turned into a really nice horse,” trainer Peter Miller said.

None Above the Law won the Silky Sullivan Stakes for 3-year-old California-breds at a mile on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on April 25 for his first stakes win. The race was rained off the turf.

None Above the Law followed with a win against open company in the Alcatraz Stakes at a mile on turf at Golden Gate Fields on May 23.

The Snow Chief Stakes is run at 1 1/8 miles on turf for California-breds. This will be a new distance for None Above the Law, who has never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles.

“I don’t think the distance is going to be a problem,” Miller said. “He’s long-winded. He’s finished very strongly in his mile and mile-and-a-sixteenth races.

“He wants to settle and make one run. That’s been the main difference.”

Owned and bred by Kirk and Judy Robison, None Above the Law is one of two stakes winners in a field of nine in the Snow Chief.

The Snow Chief Stakes will be the stakes debut for Ferrariano and Big Talker, who were first and third in an allowance race for California-bred 3-yearolds at a mile on turf on May 14. Ferrariano, trained by Brian Koriner, won for the first time that race, his debut around two turns. Ferrariano stalked the pace and took the lead in the final furlong, edging Found My Ball, who also starts in the Snow Chief.

“We’ve just got to repeat and improve,” Koriner said. “He’s solid in that spot.”

Found My Ball ran as far as a mile for the first time on May 14 and closed well to finish a neck behind Ferrariano. Trained by Doug O’Neill, Found My Ball starts from the rail in the Snow Chief and will be fitted with blinkers for the first time.

Play Chicken, the winner of the King Glorious Stakes for California-breds at a mile at Los Alamitos last December, is likely to set the pace. Trained by Steve Knapp, Play Chicken attempts to end a six-race losing streak.

Play Chicken was trained by O’Neill for the King Glorious and claimed for $50,000 by Knapp in April.

Melair Stakes

Fi Fi Pharoah, a rare California-bred by American Pharoah, won a one-mile maiden special weight race against open company on May 15 and returns for Saturday’s $150,000 Melair Stakes for Californiabred 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

In April, Fi Fi Pharoah was second in the Evening Jewel Stakes for Californiabred 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs, a trip that was too short, trainer Walther Solis said.

“We just ran out of distance,” Solis said. “When we sent her a mile, her class came out.”

Owned by Terry Lovingier, Tom Beckerle, and Amanda Navarro, Fi Fi Pharoah appears best-suited to a stalking trip.

“She doesn’t like to be rushed,” Solis said.

The Melair Stakes drew a field of eight with one notable absence in Becca Taylor, the winner of the Evening Jewel. Becca Taylor is sidelined with a shin injury and could return to racing in the fall, owner and breeder Nick Alexander said on Thursday.

Fi Fi Pharoah will have a pace to follow from Eddie’s New Dream and I’m So Anna.

Eddie’s New Dream was second in a six-furlong allowance race for California-bred fillies and mares on May 9. That was her first start since a thirdplace finish, beaten a head, in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies for statebreds at seven furlongs at Del Mar last November.

The Melair Stakes will be Eddie’s New Dream’s first start beyond seven furlongs. In the last several weeks, the filly has worked quickly for trainer Ben Cecil.

I’m So Anna has outstanding credentials, with a pacesetting win in the Campanile Stakes for statebred 3-year-old fillies at a mile on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on April 25 in her last start.

Trained by Steve Sherman, I’m So Anna has won two stakes at Golden Gate Fields, but is winless in five stakes at Southern California tracks. I’m So Anna was third by six lengths in the Evening Jewel.

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