Beaten GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies favorite American Gal (Concord Point), a strong third after an impossible trip, looks like the one to beat in Saturday's GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos.
The Kaleem Shah homebred, a smart debut winner at Del Mar Aug. 14, resurfaced with a runaway win in the six-furlong Anoakia S. Oct. 23 at Santa Anita. Making her two-turn bow on short notice from post 12 in the Breeders' Cup, she finished within four lengths of longshot winner Champagne Room (Broken Vow) after a slow break and extremely wide voyage.
Union Strike (Union Rags) was sixth in the Juvenile Fillies with some trouble of her own while making her first try since capturing the seven-furlong GI Del Mar Debutante S. Sept. 3. The Ruis Racing colorbearer fired a five-furlong bullet in :59 1/5 (1/16) at Santa Anita Dec. 5.
Berned (Bernardini) makes the trip from New York following a runner-up finish in Aqueduct's GIII Tempted S. Nov. 5. The winner that day Miss Sky Warrior (First Samurai) returned to wire the GII Demoiselle S. at the Big A Nov. 26.
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