Sam’ Seeks Second Graded Stakes Win
Jerry Hollendorfer, Mark Dedomenico and George Todaro’s GI La Brea S. heroine Sam’s Sister (Brother Derek) looks to provide her trainer with his second straight renewal of today’s GII Santa Monica going seven panels at Santa Anita. Also entered in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile GII La Canada S., the 4-year-old was scratched in favor of this test, which is run at the same track and trip as the La Brea.
The lightly-raced chestnut opened her account with a pair of wins going six panels over the Del Mar synthetic July 25 and Aug. 30, respectively. Victorious in a course-and-distance optional claimer Oct. 13, the only blemish to her record came in a Nov. 21 turf sprint at Del Mar, where she finished eighth. Let go at 12-1 in the La Brea, Sam’s Sister came charging late to score a narrow upset over “TDN Rising Star” Taris (Flatter), who exited the race with an injury.
Al and Sandee Kirkwood’s undefeated Dancinthenightaway (Indian Charlie) tries black-type company for the first time here. A debut winner over this strip Nov. 2, the Mark Glatt pupil won a state-bred turf sprint at Del Mar Nov. 23 and scored again last time in a track-and-trip optional claimer Dec. 27. Most recently breezing a best-of-90 half-mile here in :46 3/5 Jan. 14, this front-running bay has yet to be truly tested and could prove to be any kind.
Pamela Ziebarth’s My Sweet Addiction (Tiznow) will take her second run at Sam’s Sister, after finishing a head second to her in the Oct. 13 optional claimer here. An optional claimer winner here last spring, the Marty Jones trainee completed the trifecta in this venue’s Desert Storm S. June 15 and a Los Alamitos sprint Sept. 20.
Kaleem Shah’s Sweet Marini (Marino Marini) hopes to keep her hot streak going for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert in this test. Second in the state-bred Betty Grab S. over the Del Mar synthetic Nov. 9, the gray posted impressive victories in her next two starts, both of which were 5 1/2-panel optional claimers at Los Alamitos Dec. 11 and Dec. 20, respectively.