Amorama, winner of the Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) by a nose Aug. 21, hopes to maintain her winning ways when she faces a field of older fillies and mares in Saturday's $500,000 Yellow Ribbon (gr. I) during Oak Tree's first weekend of fall stakes action at Santa Anita Park.Trained by Julio Canani, Amorama never failed to earn a piece of the purse in her first six starts in the United States before finally breaking through by winning the Oaks (gr. IT) at odds of 19-1 on Aug. 21.
Canani said the French-bred 3-year-old daughter of Sri Pekan has adapted well since arriving from her native country late last year. With better racing luck, could have reached the winners' circle sooner than she did.
"She ran good in the American Oaks," Canani pointed out. "She finished fifth but she was running. She was faster than anybody at the finish. Her form was good in France but she always ran good in the U.S. She had traffic problems and things like that but that's racing luck, you know?"
Amorama has a 3-1-2 record from 12 starts, with earnings of $276,729 for owners Marsha Naify of San Francisco and Christina Naify Zilber, who races as Woodside Farms LLC.
A field of 10 was entered Wednesday. Amorama, the only 3-year-old in the field, receives a five-pound weight break from the others, who carry 123.The Bobby Frankel-trained Light Jig could be the slight favorite off her impressive victory in her United States stakes debut in the Beverly Hill Handicap (gr. IIT) June 27.
Light Jig worked three furlongs at Hollywood Thursday in :36 4/5.Although Katdogawn has won only once in seven tries this year, – and that victory was by disqualification in the Santa Ana Handicap (gr. IIT) in March – she figures to attract attention following a gritty second-place finish in the Palomar Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar in her last start. She closed nicely in that race for trainer James Cassidy.$500,000 Yellow Ribbon (gr. IT, Race 4, 2:27 p.m. PT), fillies & mares 3 & up, 1 1/4 miles (turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey
1. Light Jig, Rene Douglas
2. Tangle, Corey Nakatani
3. Katdogawn, Kent Desormeaux
4. Notting Hill, Omar Figueroa
5. Noches de Rosa, Tyler Baze
6. Voz de Colegiala, Alex Bisono
7. Cozie Advantage, Martin Pedroza
8. Good Student, Mike Smith
9. Amorama, David Flores
10. Hoh Buzzard, Brice Blanc.
All carry 123 pounds except Amorama, 118.