Las Virgenes Is Filled With the Best Fillies

The $250,000 Las Virgenes, a Grade I for 3-year-old fillies that will be run for the 24th time today at Santa Anita, hasn’t produced a Kentucky Oaks winner since Keeper Hill in 1998.

That may change in 2006 because it appears the best 3-year-old fillies in the country are in California.

Six of the eight scheduled to run in the Las Virgenes have either won or placed in graded stakes and two of them are Grade I winners.

Wild Fit, who was second to Folklore in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Belmont Park on Oct. 29, won the Del Mar Debutante as the 3-2 favorite last summer at Del Mar and Diplomat Lady was a shocking winner at 39-1 of the Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 18 at Hollywood Park.

Trained by Chris Paasch for owner Charles Cono, Diplomat Lady, a daughter of Forestry, has been well thought of by her connections since before she started, but it wasn’t until her fifth start in the Starlet that she became a stakes winner.

Though she had won two previous starts, Diplomat Lady had finished fourth and 10th in her two stakes appearances before the Starlet breakthrough.

Race of the day: The first of the two Grade I’s on the Santa Anita program today is the $250,000 Santa Maria Handicap for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Star Parade, who won the race in 2004, is back for another shot for owner Gary Tanaka and trainer Darrell Vienna against eight opponents. If the 7-year-old, Argentine-bred mare is able to win today, she will become the second mare to win the Santa Maria twice. Gay Style won the race in 1975 and 1976 for trainer Charlie Whittingham.

One for the road: High Finance ran well to be second in his debut Jan. 14 and should be able to graduate today in the 11th at Gulfstream Park. Shaun Bridgmohan will ride the 3-year-old Talk Is Money colt for West Point Thoroughbreds LLC and trainer Rick Violette Jr. in the $32,000 maiden affair at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Exotically speaking: A late pick three using Sandra’s Rose, Belong In Beauty and Blue Orchid in the eighth; Balance in the ninth; and Trail Mix, Bourbon N Blues and Mysterious Cat in the 10th.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 3/97. Money: (previous day/meet total): $12.80/$617.80. Total money bet: $578.