—Mar 24— Cicero Farms’ Marley’s Freedom, last seen winning the Captiva Stakes and Gulfstream Park, and Medallion Racing’s Selcourt, winner of the Grade III Las Cienegas Stakes in January and third in the Grade III Las Flores Stakes in February, highlight a field of six runners in the Grade II Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita Park on March 24.
Marley’s Freedom spent the winter competing on the turf, racing three times at five furlongs. The four-year-old Bob Baffert trainee will be switching to the dirt and asked to run an additional two furlongs in the Santa Monica, but is expected to go to post as a slight favorite.
Selcourt seems better suited to the task. The John Sadler trainee won the Las Cienegas Stakes at six-and-a-half furlongs on the grass at Santa Anita, then followed that effort with a third place effort in the Las Flores on the dirt at six furlongs.
The Santa Monica Stakes promises to be a competitive affair. Skye Diamonds beat Selcourt in the Las Flores and figures to be the third choice. Miss Sunset, who easily won a $100,000 stakes race at six furlongs by almost four lengths in her last start, will retain the services of Mike Smith, who’s six wins (24%) place him sixth in the national rider standings.
Perhaps the most intriguing entrant is Brad Cox’s six-year-old mare, Shenandoah Queen, who enters the race after finishing sixth in the Grade II La Canada Stakes and second in the Grade II Santa Maria Stakes over a route of ground.
Paradise Woods has been competitive in three starts at Santa Anita.
Retro Horse Racing Game 