Santa Ysabel J

A small field of seven has been entered for Saturday's $100,000 Santa Ysabel

S. (G3) at Santa Anita, and the morning-line favorite for the 1 1/16-mile test

is SABATINI (Five Star Day). The Patrick Biancone-trained bay miss was an

impressive five-length maiden winner in her debut two back and highly regarded

when making her two-turn bow last out in the Hollywood Starlet (G1). She ran a

nice third in that race and could add a first stakes win with this one, but

we're going to take a stand against and go with SWEET FOURTY

(Sweetsouthernsaint).

The dark bay sophomore captured an allowance at Calder in October by 8 1/2

lengths prior to being switched from trainer Luis Olivares' barn to that of Jeff

Mullins. Under Mullins' tutelage, Sweet Fourty tried the turf in the Hidden Light

S., running sixth, before moving back to the main track for a nice second in the

Sharp Cat S. Both of those races saw Balance (Thunder Gulch), who went on to

finish second in the Starlet, finishing in front, though she was disqualified to

third in the Hidden Light. Sweet Fourty earned a BRIS Speed rating of 93 for her

Sharp Cat run and could show much more here with Victor Espinoza in the irons.

I CAN SEE (Flying Chevron) is the most experienced runner in this field with

11 races under her girth. Trained by Rafael Deleon, the dark bay filly broke her

maiden by a head at Hollywood Park last May and three starts later entered

stakes company, where's she's competed ever since. Her only other win came in a

dominating nine-length score in the Black Swan S., though she just missed by a

nose in the Bustles and Bows S. She's been working well at Hollywood to prepare

for this one and could come with a late run to surprise here. Kerwin John has

the call.

Sabatini earned a 94 Speed rating for her debut and may have just needed a

race after that one to gain more experience, which the Starlet provided. The bay

lass shouldn't be discounted, but we're going to look for value elsewhere.

Garrett Gomez will be aboard.

ITTY BITTY PRETTY (El Corredor) will be making her two-turn debut in this

spot after a nice second in a Hollywood allowance in mid-November. Conditioned

by Doug O'Neill, the three-year-old bay was second that day to Diplomat Lady

(Forestry), who would go on to take the Starlet. Itty Bitty Pretty could make

her presence felt in the top three. MISS FURY (Unbridled's Song) seems to like a

route of ground, breaking her maiden going 8 1/2 furlongs last out, and could

earn part.

HORSE B WITH YOU (Slewdledo), a second entrant from O'Neill, may try to lead

this one all the way, but she might not be speedy enough to hold on at the end.

INCUMBENT (Carson City) finished well back in the Starlet most recently and

probably isn't up to this level quite yet. We'll go against.