Sharp Cat Is Class of Field in Santa Ysabel

Through the first 38 days of the Santa Anita meeting, no horse has won by a bigger margin than Sharp Cat did in the Santa Ysabel Stakes last month.

Against five outclassed opponents, the chestnut daughter of Storm Cat cruised home 14 lengths ahead and clearly established herself as the top 3-year-old filly in California.

Sharp Cat will be heavily favored to win again in the $150,000 Las Virgenes Stakes today and make it six victories in nine starts for owner Prince Ahmed bin Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp. and trainer Wayne Lukas.

What is scary for those who will challenge her in the one-mile Las Virgenes is that Lukas believes Sharp Cat, purchased for $900,000 as a yearling, is going to get even better.

“She’s got quite a bit of room for improvement,� Lukas said. “I think by July she could be a really special filly.

“She is a big, rangy filly and, with maturity, she’s filling out and getting more professional. I don’t think we have seen the best of her yet.�

A Grade I race that Lukas has won three times, the Las Virgenes comes five weeks after the Santa Ysabel.

“We’ve been spacing her races,� he said. “It’s been [35 days] since her last race, and doing this really seems to be beneficial for her. [The Las Virgenes] is a good fit for her at this point.

“She ran well all year as a 2-year-old, but I think her immaturity held her back some. She was temperamental, but she’s gotten over a lot of that. She’s more solid and more purposeful in her works in the morning.�

Barring a major upset, Sharp Cat should win the Las Virgenes, then come back and win the $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks on March 9. After that, the temptation would be to try the boys in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 5.

Lukas has already had a Santa Anita Derby success with a filly, winning in 1988 with Winning Colors, who returned four weeks later to win the Kentucky Derby.

Although it is much too early to say what will happen, Sharp Cat against the likes of Silver Charm, Mud Route, Hello, Boston Harbor and others is a possibility.

“Right now, I will say that we’re not looking at any derby, but that could change,� Lukas said. “At this point, we’re looking at the Oaks here, the Ashland [at Keeneland on April 5], then the Kentucky Oaks [on May 2]. That’s the plan that is penciled in, but it’s not in ink. I’m just going to do the best I can with her.�

To be ridden again by Corey Nakatani, Sharp Cat, who is 2-5 on the morning line, will carry 122 pounds today, meaning she will be spotting her seven opponents from four to eight pounds. Queen Of Money, who has won two in a row for meeting-leading trainer Bob Baffert, is the 4-1 second choice.

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The connections of Formal Gold, who upset Skip Away in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park a week ago, are still indicating an interest in shipping west for the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap on March 2.

Besides Formal Gold, there are 13 other possibles right now for the 1 1/4-mile Big ‘Cap: Chequer, Editor’s Note, Gentlemen, Isitingood, Just Java, Kingdom Found, Marlin, Sandpit, Savinio, Siphon, The Barking Shark, Victory Speech and Zanferrier.

Horse Racing Notes

Mud Route, who will make his stakes debut in the San Rafael Stakes on March 2, worked seven furlongs in 1:24 4/5 Friday morning for trainer Ron McAnally. . . . Jewel Princess, the 1996 Breeders’ Cup Distaff champion and winner of the Eclipse award as the top older filly or mare, will make her first start of the year in Sunday’s $150,000 Santa Maria Handicap. Six others were entered in the 1 1/16-mile race, including Top Rung, Cat’s Cradle, Toga Toga Toga, La Rosa, Hidden Lake and Fast Nancy. . . . Gary Stevens and Alex Solis each won twice Friday.