BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Augustin Stables’ As Catch Can, second in the Grade 3 Mazarine at Woodbine in November, has been sent to the West Coast by trainer Jonathan Thomas for the $100,000 Sweet Life at Santa Anita Sunday. The Florida-bred As Catch Can makes her sophomore year debut against nine other 3-year-old fillies scheduled to go six-and-a-half furlongs on the downhill turf course at the Great Race Place.
As Catch Can broke her maiden going a mile on the inner turf at Colonial Downs in her third career start in August then finished fifth against allowance fillies at the same distance at Keeneland in October. Thomas then switched her to the synthetic main track at Woodbine where her late run came up just a neck shy of winner Somethinabouther in the mile-and-a-sixteenth Mazarine.
She remained at Woodbine for his last start and rebounded to win a first level, $75,000 optional claiming for fillies by length going a mile-and-70-yards on Dec. 5.
Bred in Florida by Loren Nichols, As Catch Can is by Mo Town out of Just a Catch, by Justin Phillip. She has earned $106,295 from two wins with a second and a third in six starts.
Consigned to the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale by Top Line Sales, As Catch Can fetched $210,000 from Donato Lanni as agent.
(As Catch Can’s Under Tack Video)
She is 15-1 on the morning line and Umberto Rispoli rides from post seven.
Bob Baffert appears to have the horse to beat in Casalu, winner of the $101,000 Blue Norther going a mile at Santa Anita on Dec. 28.
A $775,000 purchase out of the Global Thoroughbreds consignment by owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman in the name of their Three Amigos at the OBS Spring Sale, Casalu won on debut going five furlongs at Del Mar in July in her only other win in seven starts. However, she has remained against stakes company throughout with seconds in the both Grade 3 Jimmy Durante won by Will Then going a mile on the turf at Del Mar on Nov. 30 and in the Grade 3 Surfer Girl won by Thought Process at the same distance at Santa Anita on Oct. 6.
Casalu is by Caracaro out of Key d’Oro, by Medgalia d’Oro and has earned $174,546 from two wins, two seconds and a third.
Flavien Prat will ride from post five.
Rounding out the field are Hey Lil Lady with jockey Mario Gutierrez, How About Pavel has Tiago Pereira, Hector Berriors takes the call on Schilflied, Tequilaandtherapy will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Antonio Fresu will guide Practical Dream, Going Deep with Tyler Baze up, Acquitted will have Juan Hernandez in the saddle and Ce La Vi Charli and jockey Frankie Dettori.
Return to the February 8 issue of Wire to Wire
