SUGAR FISH LOOKS TO GET BACK ON THE BEAM IN SUNDAY’S GII, $200,000 ZENYATTA STAKES GOING 1 1/16 MILES AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Sept. 26, 2024)—After a dominant 9 ¾-length win in the GII Summertime Oaks June 8 at Santa Anita, Sugar Fish took on her elders for the first time in the GI Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar Aug. 3. She was never a factor, snapping a three-race win streak.

On Sunday, Sugar Fish will look to rebound with a return to Santa AnitA in the GII, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes going 1 1/16 miles. She will be joined in a field of six by fellow 3-year-old Nothing Like You, South American import Che Evasora, veteran graded-stakes winner Desert Dawn, eastern invader Alpha Bella and Flying Connection.

Sugar Fish, trained by Jeff Mullins, left Nothing Like You far in her wake when running off with the Summertime Oaks. Prior to that effort, she broke her maiden by 10 lengths and then won a first-level allowance going a mile, both at Santa Anita. The Accelerate filly, who was a $40,000 auction buy as a yearling, is 7: 3-1-0 with $190,040 in earnings for owners Talla Racing and Sweetwater Stable. She will have regular rider Tyler Baze in the irons.

Nothing Like You this spring romped by 7 ½ lengths in the GII Santa Anita Oaks, but then was soundly beaten by Sugar Fish in the Summertime Oaks. By Malibu Moon, Nothing Like You next tried the GIII Torrey Pines going a mile at Del Mar and was again a well-beaten second, this time finishing five lengths adrift of stablemate Hope Road.

Owned by Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio and John L. Rogitz, Nothing Like You is 10: 4-3-0 with $493,160 in earnings. She will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.

Che Evasora will be making her first U.S. start after posting a record of 23: 6-4-6 with multiple stakes wins in her native Argentina. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Che Evasora has been working steadily since late July for her U.S. unveiling. Owned by Patricio Francisco Losinno, the 6-year-old mare by Orientate stallion Greenspring will have Antonio Fresu in the irons.

Flying Connection, a multiple stakes winner for trainer Todd Fincher, was a solid third in the Clement L. Hirsch behind winner Adare Manor and runner-up Scylla. The 4-year-old Nyquist filly has a record of 17: 7-2-3 and $993,300 in earnings for owners Brad E. King, Gary Randall Andrews, George Coleman et al.

Prior to the Hirsch, Flying Connection was fifth in the GII Bed o’ Roses at Aqueduct in June and third in the GI Derby City Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4 at Churchill Downs. All five of her stakes wins have come in New Mexico. Flying Connection will be ridden by Joe Talamo, who was also aboard in the Hirsch.

Veteran campaigner Desert Dawn will get a second crack at the Zenyatta after finishing second to Adare Manor in last year’s edition. Also trained by D’Amato, the 5-year-old Cupid mare this year won the GIII La Canada at Santa Anita in January. Desert Dawn, a homebred for H and E Ranch, is 22: 3-5-6 with $1,022,525 in earnings. She will be ridden by Umberto Rispoli, who previously rode her in 11 straight starts from March 2022 to October 2023.

Completing the field is Alpha Bella, who this summer was transferred to trainer John Sadler after previously being based in the east with Todd Pletcher. This will be Alpha Bella’s first dirt start since an off-the-turf event last August at Saratoga. In seven subsequent turf starts, the 4-year-old Justify filly earned her lone stakes win in the GIII La Prevoyante going 1 ½ miles on turf at Gulfstream in January. Most recently, Alpha Bella was off the board in both the GIII Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware Park in July and the GII Glens Falls Stakes at Saratoga in August.

Alpha Bella races as a homebred for Don Alberto Stable. She is 16: 3-4-2 with $375,615. Hector Berrios has the call on Alpha Bella for her local unveiling.

THE GII ZENYATTA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 Approximate post time 4 p.m.

1. Alpha Bella – Hector Berrios – 124
2. Flying Connection – Joseph Talamo – 122
3. Che Evasora – Antonio Fresu – 126
4. Nothing Like You – Juan Hernandez – 122
5. Desert Dawn – Umberto Rispoli – 124
6. Sugar Fish – Tyler Baze - 122

First post for a 10 race card Sunday is 1 p.m. Admission gates open at 11:00 a.m. For more information please visit www.santaanita.com.