La Vida Loca Looks To Keep American Record Perfect in Regret

La Vida Loca, an Irish import who is unbeaten in three starts since her arrival in the United States, will attempt to keep that streak intact Saturday when she faces seven rivals in the 32nd running of the $150,000-added, grade III Regret Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf at Churchill Downs.

An Irish-bred daughter of Caerleon, La Vida Loca, had only one victory in six starts as a 2-year-old in her homeland for trainer Aidan O'Brien.

She was purchased last fall by owner Lewis Lakin and moved to the care of Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott. She won allowance races at Gulfstream Park and Keeneland and then scored a length victory in the $100,000 Edgewood at Churchill Downs on May 12. The one-mile Edgewood was the first stakes victory of La Vida Loca's career.

Other major contenders in the Regret include Linda Neece's Bold Answer, runner-up to La Vida Loca in the Edgewood and the 3-1 second choice in the morning line, Dogwood Stable's Amaretta, who has reeled off a pair of front-running allowance wins over the Churchill Downs turf.

The Regret gained a surprise late entry in Nasty Storm, the winner of the Dogwood Stakes (gr. III) on the main track at Churchill Downs on May 26. Trainer Dallas Stewart entered the daughter of Gulch, who is owned by a partnership that includes her trainer and Hall of Fame college basketball coach Denny Crum, on hopes that heavy rain might prompt the race to be transferred from the turf to the main track.

The field for the Regret, in order of post position, includes: Nasty Storm, 117, Lonnie Meche; Mysia Jo, 117, Robby Albarado; Bold Answer, 119, Pat Day; Casual Feat, 115, Larry Melancon; Smart Timing, 119, Victor Espinoza; Amaretta, 117, Jon Court; La Vida Loca, 119, Bailey; and Sister Crimson