The Lead:
Named for the first Breeders' Cup Mile winner, the Grade 3 $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes is the featured race this weekend at Santa Anita. Saturday's Race 7 main event drew a massive field of 13, including a quartet from trainer Phil D'Amato. He's won this race a record 4 times, including 3 of the last 4 years, and once again will play a strong hand.
Field Depth:
Defending Royal Heroine champ UNCORKED and TIRUPATI are the field's Grade 3 winners. HAMWOOD FLIER and VENGANZA are graded stakes-placed, while MUCHO MACHO GIRL and VALENCE are listed stakes winners. SUN OF HILL was a Group 1 stakes winner in her native Brazil. UNCORKED, TIRUPATI and HAMWOOD FLIER have kept consistently a much stronger schedule than the others.
Pace:
SNEAKER, TIRUPATI, MUCHO MACHO GIRL and HAMWOOD FLIER all possess the ability to hit the front. VALENCE adds depth to what should be a fast pace. A strong finisher should have every opportunity.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-PUBLIC ASSEMBLY: New York transplant won her first start at Santa Anita after moving from Chad Brown to Phil D'Amato and now gets her first stakes attempt. Mile distance might be too sharp for true router, but Antonio Fresu opting to ride here is not insignificant as he piloted 3 of 4 D'Amato charges in their most recent starts.
#2-RAW ABILITY: Undefeated Irish export aims for her fourth straight win and third since joining John Sadler's barn. Won with a reasonable pace and with a dawdling pace, showing versatility. Now gets tested for class. Those 101 and 97 BRIS late pace figures stand out in a race with a lot of speed to set the table.
#3-SNEAKER: Patented miler goes sprint-to-route while second off the layoff in a proimising form cycle for trainer George Papaprodromou. But she's 0-4 in stakes with some minor checks cashed and catches a fast pace here to overcome.
#4-UNCORKED: Last year's winner was a Maryland export to the Phil D'Amato barn making her first west coast start and pulled a 5-1 minor surprise. She'll be among the favorites this time, but note regular rider Antonio Fresu opts to ride Public Assembly here for D'Amato.
#5-VENGANZA: Exits 3 straight turf sprints and was in a similar form cycle at Del Mar in November when not carrying her speed on the stretchout. Trainer Richard Mandella seems to have a better turf sprinter on this hands, but is going for the Grade 3 black-type.
#6-TIRUPATI: Former claimer does her best running on the front end, witnessed by her Grade 3 Wilshire wire job last out. She doesn't need the lead to be in the hunt, but hasn't won without that kind of trip. She's had a long winter-spring at Santa Anita and may be a candidate to regress a bit under pressure.
#7-SUN OF HILL: Third of 4 D'Amato entrants and yet another transfer, this one 0-5 since arriving from Brazil. She's shown consistency over any distance or shurface and can be trusted for an honest effort. But that knockout instinct has lacked when it counts late.
#8-MUCHO MACHO GIRL: Leonard Powell sent this one to Turf Paradise for a March 22 stakes win, getting black type on the resume for a mare claimed in December for $50,000 at Fair Grounds. Former midwest dirt sprinter wasn't able to keep up in the Megahertz vs. similar in her only Santa Anita turf start.
#9-ETERNAL REIGN: Last of the D'Amato quartet, this Irish export is 3: 1-2-0 since coming to Santa Anita and gets tested for stakes credentials for the first time. Hasn't shown a blistering late turn of foot that wins top-class miles so far, but could land a first-over run before the deeper closers come calling.
#10-VALENCE: Zia Park Oaks winner on dirt makes her first west coast appearance with the OJ Jauregui barn. She shipped west for the American Oaks in December and backed up at 58-1 over 10 furlongs when with her midwestern trainer Ty Garrett. Juaregui had this one in Northern California to start her career. Appears to be a no lead, no pass situation from a tough draw.
#11-HAMWOOD FLIER: 7-year-old burner knows only one tactic and that's pedal to the metal from the start. She'd match 2011 winner Celtic Princess as the oldest to win this race. She's 6: 1-1-1 in turf mile stakes since arriving from Ireland, bouncing between trainers George Papaprodromou, Phil D'Amato and now appearing for Peter Eurton. Fast works and 11-hole draw indicate she's got to use all the gas in the tank from the jump.
#12-BALTIC FIRE: Simon Callaghan trainee is just 2-for-9 and was throttled at 81-1 in the American Oaks in her only stakes try. Probably appreciates the cut-back to a mile somewhat, but from this post and her lack of finishing flair, there aren't a lot of roadmaps to victory.
#13-LUNAR IMPACT: Out 9 months since last summer's Osunitas at Del Mar, this pace-presser feels almost assured to lose ground on the clubhouse turn. Dan Blacker barn has been bizarrely effective with a microscopic amount of starters in 2025. Picture-perfect workout tab in terms of spacing with 6 drills every week on cue in the lead-up. Asking a lot to finish with her style and projected trip.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
RAW ABILITY gets a delicious set-up and saves ground before being unleashed.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
SON OF HILL at 20-1 morning line has a legit chance for the bottom in the trifecta or superfecta. She's had 8 straight top-4 efforts at a whirlwind of different situations.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$89 win 2. $1 trifecta part-wheel 2 with ALL with 7 ($11).
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