2019 Camilla Urso Stakes Preview

This 5f 75k turf sprint stakes has drawn a field of 9 older fillies and mares. A fun race to close out the stakes portion of Saturday’s card.

I am not going to give selections, but I will give you guys some insight into each runner in the field. Also, I attached a replay for most of the horses. Hopefully it will help you with your handicapping. Enjoy!

#1 Alliford Bay (Blaine Wright/ Juan Hernandez) Reeled off 5 straight stakes wins last year (all on the dirt). Rail draw is not ideal, but has a versatile running style. Only previous try on grass was at 2-turns, and she was on a very hot pace that fell apart. Bred to like this as she is by City Zip and out of a turf sprint winning mare. 2nd start off the layoff here. Last race was nice and should set her up well for this race– showed a lot of energy late and finished up nicely (click here). Ran 3rd behind Ima Happy Cat and Claudia Mae.

#2 Vronilla Parfait (Sergio Ledezma/ Frank Alvarado) Will need some pace to run at here, and could get it. Coming off a wide trip 4th in the Ima Happy Cat race (click here). Has won her last 2 races at a 5f distance (one on grass and one on tapeta). Will be running on late and could be interesting at a price if she can get a pace setup.

#3 S Y Sky (Phil D’Amato/ Flavien Prat) SoCal invader is going to take a lot of money in here. She ran a close 2nd in the Irish O’Brien Stakes (click here). Has speed but I don’t think she will be on the pace. Could see her sitting off of it and pouncing. Surprisingly has never run 5f on the grass. Has strong form, but will it transfer to 5f on grass?

#4 I Love Romance (Jonathan Wong/ Jorge Velez) Has really turned the corner as of late and is coming off 3 wins in her last 4 starts. Her last win was a 6f gate-to-wire score in an Allowance on the main track (click here). She also has 2 wins and a 2nd in her 3 lifetime starts on the turf. Has some speed to her but doesn’t need the lead. Figures are behind but she is improving and coming off of a lifetime top.

#5 Go On Mary (Doug O’Neill/ Rafael Bejarano) SoCal shipper is a stakes winner going 5f on the turf. Going to take a lot of money at the windows. Last out, she ran 3rd in the Mizdirection Stakes at Santa Anita (click here). Has a ton of zip and I would expect her to be on the engine. Proven at this level and distance.

#6 Ima Happy Cat (Dan Markle/ Ricardo Gonzalez) Grey filly is coming off a gate-to-wire Allowance score against many in here (click here). She is making her first start on turf in this race. Is by Smiling Tiger and out of a turf winning mare. Has speed but doesn’t need the lead. Figures need to improve a little. 5f too sharp for her?

#7 Claudia Mae (Tirso Rviero/Francisco Duran) Ran 2nd to Ima Happy Cat in her last race (click here). Has a win going 5f on the grass. She earned a figure in that win last year that puts her in the ballpark here, but hasn’t run close to that since. Going to be coming from off the pace here. Seems a cut below.

#8 Impecunious (Frank Lucarello/ Silvio Amador) Has never run close to fast enough in the past to suggest she can contend today. Has a lot of speed and I would assume they are going to send. Daughter of Vronski has never tried the turf before.

#9 Spring Heat (Clifford Delima/ Cristobal Herrera) 2 for 4 lifetime going 5f on the grass. Has a lot of speed and appears like the only way she can win is if she is in front. Some speed to her inside doesn’t make things easier. Been out of form in last 2 starts. Needs to show more.