Santa Ana J

AMERICAN

GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

TUSCAN EVENING (Ire) (Oasis Dream [GB]) is the one to beat in Sunday's Santa

Ana H. (G2), but she's not going to offer any value and is a major question mark

at nine furlongs. We've always thought highly of TREAT GENTLY (GB) (Cape Cross

[Ire]) and will give her top billing.

A Group 2 winner in France, Treat Gently opened her U.S. racing campaign with

an allowance victory at Belmont Park in July but wasn't seen again until the E.

P. Taylor (Can-G1) in mid-October, posting a subpar performance over the turf at

Woodbine. We were encouraged to see her return again 2 1/2 months later in the

San Gorgonio H. (G2) at Santa Anita, where she recorded a good second despite

having her saddle slip, and feel that the five-year-old mare is eligible to

improve significantly off that performance. Though disqualified and placed last

in the 2008 Prix Vermeille (Fr-G1), she finished only 2 1/2 lengths behind Zarkava

in third that day, and came to the Untied States with tremendous promise but didn't get the

opportunity to live up to expectations in 2009. The Bill Mott trainee can take a step in

that direction on Sunday.

Tuscan Evening is the queen of the female turf ranks in Southern California,

recording three graded wins and a second to Ventura in the Matriarch (G1) in her

last four starts, but she didn't run well when stretching out to 1 1/8 miles in the

John C. Mabee (G1) last August. She is the possible lone speed in here, giving

her a better chance to carry her speed the distance, and trainer Jerry

Hollendorfer is confident that she'll handle the trip. But we'll let the classy

five-year-old mare beat us for the win at short odds.

CAT BY THE TALE (Tale of the Cat) is a logical win candidate if Tuscan

Evening falters. Queen of the San Gorgonio two back, the Neil Drysdale mare had

a string of seven consecutive in-the-money finishes snapped last time in the

Buena Vista H. (G2), but she offered a solid run to just miss third that day.

The chestnut has earned commendable BRIS numbers in every start since arriving

in the United States from Ireland and looks dangerous here off the brief

freshening. Note that she owns a 4-2-1-1 mark at this distance.

EISSOAI (Brz) (Roi Normand), who exits a second to Tuscan Evening in the

one-mile Buena Vista, may enjoy the added ground and merits consideration for

the exotics. A Group 1 winner in her native Brazil, she didn't enjoy much

success in her first full season of North American racing last year but is

showing signs of taking her game to a new level in 2010, recording strong

efforts in her last two starts, including a career-best 100 BRIS Speed rating

last time. The Humberto Ascanio trainee could make some noise under Michael

Baze.

GENERAL CONSENSUS (Giant's Causeway) will enter in good form for Paddy

O'Gallagher, winning two of her last three attempts, but she's facing a daunting

class hike here. We can't dismiss her chances for part given her affinity for

the course (9-3-2-2) and present condition, but nine furlongs doesn't look like

her best distance (3-0-0-2).

Defending champ BELMONT CAT (NZ) (Felix the Cat) is unlikely to repeat

against a much deeper cast of rivals this year. She entered last year's event in

good form, posting a couple of solid local efforts in preparation, but the John

Sadler mare was sidelined following a fifth in the Wilshire H. (G3) in May and

didn't return until the February 20 Honey Fox S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park, checking

in a disappointing 12th. She probably needed the start off the lengthy layoff,

but we'll just watch to see if she can turn things around. APRIL PRIDE (GB) (Falbrav

[Ire]) will make her first start since recording a mild upset in the Harold C.

Ramser Sr. H. (G3) last October. The four-year-old filly has class and distance

concerns in this spot. CHASIN DREAMS (Cactus Ridge) would be a huge surprise.