Oaks News

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 10, 2006) - Amerman Racing's Balance and Magnier, Smith and Tabor's Wild Fit will continue their rivalry when they line up as the main attractions in Sunday's $300,000 Gr. I Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita. The one-two finishers in last month's Gr. I Las Virgenes, Balance and Wild Fit are regarded as two of the top contenders for the May 5th Kentucky Oaks, and the winner of this weekend's 1 1/16-mile event will surely become the likely early favorite for the Run for the Lilies.

Balance bested Wild Fit by a length in their first meeting in the one-mile Las Virgenes on Feb. 11, but the race was Wild Fit's first start since finishing second in the Gr. I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in late October, and first since moving to the barn of trainer Patrick Biancone after being purchased last November for $3 million by the Coolmore connections of Magnier and Smith. Wild Fit has trained exceptionally since that performance and figures to go off as the slight favorite again in her rematch with Balance.

Jockey Alex Solis will pilot Wild Fit from post No. 9.

Balance has also trained well at her Hollywood Park base in the interim, and there appears to be very little between the pair of star sophomore fillies.

Balance's win in the Las Virgenes was her third from five starts for trainer David Hofmans, but the daughter of Thunder Gulch is close to being perfect. She finished first in the Hidden Lite Stakes in her second career start but was disqualified to third after drifting in the stretch, and her other loss came in the form of a half-length defeat when finishing second to Diplomat Lady in the Gr. I Hollywood Starlet.

"She came around so quickly at the end of last year that she really didn't have time to catch up to herself," said Hofmans. "Now she has. She is stronger, smarter and a calmer filly."

She will break from post No. 7 under regular rider Victor Espinoza.

While it appears to be a two horse race, winter rains figure to wash over the Southern California region this weekend, which could influence Sunday's racing surface and could open the door of opportunity for a couple of outsiders.

Sweet Belle, winner of her last pair of local starts around two turns since turning three, will try to spring the upset for trainer Wally Dollase on the rise in class. Diplomat Lady is also an interesting filly in here, as she will try to regain her Grade I form that saw her defeat Balance in the Gr. I Hollywood Starlet last December at Hollywood Park. Trainer Chris Paasch takes the blinkers off this speedy daughter of Forestry in hopes to reverse her current form, where she finished a disappointing fifth after contesting a fast pace in last month's Las Virgenes.

The complete field for the Santa Anita Oaks from the rail out includes (with jockeys): Quiet Kim (Patrick Valenzuela), Cheerily (Tony Farina), The Horse B With You (Jon Court), Diplomat Lady (Tyler Baze), Sweet Belle (Corey Nakatani), Karlee's Kitten (Martin Pedroza), Balance (Espinoza), I Can See (Kerwin John) and Wild Fit (Solis).

All entrants will carry 122 pounds.

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