Talented 'TDN Rising Star' and 2017 Eclipse Award finalist Paradise Woods (Union Rags) makes her 4-year-old debut Saturday in the GII Santa Monica S. The Dick Mandella pupil dropped jaws when crushing eventual champion Abel Tasman (Quality Road) by 11 3/4 lengths in last April's GI Santa Anita Oaks, and returned to winning ways in the fall with a similarly impressive victory in the GI Zenyatta S. Third in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, she cut back to this trip to finish a close second to eventual champion female sprinter Unique Bella (Tapit) in the Dec. 26 GI La Brea S. Third finisher Mopotism (Uncle Mo) returned to take the GII La Canada S. Paradise Woods has been firing bullets and will certainly be tough on her best, but it's not as if she finds no challengers. Fellow 'Rising Star' Selcourt (Tiz Wonderful) is already two-for-two this term. She cruised in the Kalookan Queen S. Jan. 14, and made the grade in the GIII Las Flores S. Feb. 18. Third that day was Skye Diamonds (First Dude), a two-time graded winner last year who was fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint.
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