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FILLY & MARE TURF DIARY APRIL 15, 2005 by Jennifer Caldwell BARANCELLA (Fr) (Acatenango) has shown nothing but improvement since shipping to the United States last fall. The chestnut miss tried her luck against top-class company overseas, but she could never quite find the wire first in a group event. In September, she made her stateside debut in the Garden City Breeders' Cup S. (G1) at Belmont Park, finishing second, and then came to Kentucky to try the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1) in mid-October. The now Bobby Frankel-trained sophomore followed eventual winner Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) all the way around the Queen Elizabeth and put in a game effort to be second, just a half-length back at the wire. That was her final start of 2004 and Barancella made her seasonal bow in the Santa Ana H. (G2) two back, running fifth, just 2 1/4 lengths back of Megahertz (GB) (Pivotal). Barancella returned 11 days later in March 31 allowance at Santa Anita Park. After breaking in the rear of the seven-horse field, she raced in last through the opening half, but by the time three-quarters had been reached in 1:11 1/5, jockey Patrick Valenzuela had give her the signal and she began to slowly, but surely, pick off her rivals. By the time Barancella reached the wire, she was 1 1/4 lengths clear of the second-place finisher. The chestnut filly could make her return to stakes company after this race, so be on the lookout. MEA DOMINA (Dance Brightly) broke her maiden while going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, then captured the Harold C. Ramser Sr. H. by two lengths. Trainer Ron McAnally switched her back to the dirt for her next start, the La Brea S. (G1), which she dropped by six lengths, then sent her back to the green for an allowance at Santa Anita in her four-year-old bow. Mea Domina won that mile test by a neck, then returned on April 1 to take another Santa Anita allowance by three lengths (no foolin!). In that one, the bay lass set the pace after a bumpy start and cruised home under a hold. Among those she beat that day was Group 1 winner Rinky Dinky (Aus) (Distorted Humor), and the bay filly earned a nice 101 BRIS Speed rating. A return to turf stakes should be in the near future. HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval) proved her neck win in the 1 3/8-mile The Very One H. (G3) in early March was no fluke on April 2. The Todd Pletcher trainee moved up a step to try the Orchid H. (G2) at Gulfstream Park and skillfully handled her competition. Under top jockey John Velazquez, the gray filly raced in midpack until the stretch then came out a bit and rallied late to score by a half-length. That gave her a second straight stakes win this year, and Honey Ryder could move on up to try Grade 1 company if she continues to show improvement. ELUSIVE DIVA (Elusive Quality) proved once again that she, too, prefers the turf over the main track when capturing the Las Cienegas H. (G3) at Santa Anita last Sunday. She made her four-year-old debut in the Wishing Well H., then was entered in the Buena Vista H. (G3), where she ran third by five lengths. Returned to the green for the Las Cienegas, the bay lass easily posted a four-length win and earned a career-best 107 Speed figure. Elusive Diva is another who could move on up the graded ladder.
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