With standout California turfer Quattroelle absent, Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks rates a huge chance from off the pace in the $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) April 1 going a mile on turf at Santa Anita Park. For older fillies and mares at one mile on turf, the Royal Heroine attracted a field of six—four of which exit the March 4 Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) which was won by Quattroelle.
A 5-year-old California-bred mare by Vronsky, Closing Remarks was full of run at the rail in the run up the backside March 4 but had to steady and lose all position three furlongs out when pacesetter Kitty Kitana was pulled up in the race.
Video
Although she was shuffled back at a critical point of call, Closing Remarks, under regular pilot Joe Bravo, was able to gather herself, swing wide, and mount an impressive rally, finishing third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.
Trained by Carla Gaines, Closing Remarks was third, beaten one length by Quattroelle, two starts back going a mile on turf in the Feb. 4 Megahertz Stakes (G3T), and checked in second three starts back going a mile and one-eighth on turf in the Dec. 31 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T).
Out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks will thus be making her fourth start of the current meet. A winner of the California Cup Oaks at a mile on turf here at age 3, Closing Remarks has been a gem of consistency for her connections, placing in seven graded stakes while compiling a race record of 3-5-4 in 17 starts with earnings of $434,820.
With Bravo back aboard on Saturday, Closing Remarks will hope to notch her first-ever graded stakes victory.
With talented Japanese jockey Kazushi Kimura riding for the first time, the Bo Hirsch homebred Honey Jar is a lightly raced 5-year-old mare who appears very much on the improve for trainer Michael McCarthy. Off as the 8-5 favorite in a first condition allowance down the hillside turf on March 4, Honey Jar, ridden by John Velazquez, was an impressive one-length victress at about 6 1/2 furlongs and she galloped out far in front of the field.
A Kentucky-bred by the Lion Heart stallion Kantharos , Honey Jar, in her lone try at one mile on turf two starts back on Jan. 28, opened up by near-double digits a half mile out and tired to finish second by a length. Back at one mile on Saturday, Honey Jar could prove an elusive front-running target.
Fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by Quattroelle in the Buena Vista March 4, the Phil D'Amato-trained School Dance had no apparent excuses at 5-1. The filly finished fifth, beaten 2 1/4 lengths as the 2-1 favorite two starts back in the Megahertz.
A close second three starts back versus sophomore fillies going a mile and a quarter on turf in the Dec. 26 American Oaks (G1T), School Dance, a 4-year-old daughter of Animal Kingdom, is owned by Agave Racing Stable and Rockin Robin Racing Stables and will be ridden for the sixth consecutive time by Ramon Vazquez.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 1, 2023, Race 7Entries: Royal Heroine S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1School Dance (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 120 Philip D'Amato 3/1 2 2Honey Jar (KY) Kazushi Kimura 120 Michael W. McCarthy 5/1 3 3Closing Remarks (CA) Joe Bravo 120 Carla Gaines 2/1 4 4Nadette (FR) Lanfranco Dettori 120 Neil D. Drysdale 6/1 5 5Very Scary (KY) Kent J. Desormeaux 120 Ian Kruljac 6/1 6 6Seisai (IRE) Umberto Rispoli 120 John W. Sadler 3/1
