From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (May 17, 2023) – Dirt or turf, short or long, Big Summer seems to always run her race.
On Saturday, trainer Carla Gaines hopes another of Big Summer’s typical performances will result in the mare’s first stakes win against open company in the Mizdirection Stakes on the hillside turf course. She is the slight 7-2 favorite on the morning line to do just that.
“She’s just as consistent as they come, this mare. And she’s doing great,” Gaines said Friday morning.
Bred in California by Bob Abrams and Mitchell Dutko, Big Summer is owned by her breeders along with Michael Paran. With an overall race record of 13-4-7-2, she has earnings of $355,160.
Big Summer has never missed the board in 13 career starts. Her record includes four wins, seven runner-up finishes and two thirds. She will face several familiar foes in the Mizdirection. After winning the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint on the hillside turf course Jan. 7, Big Summer lost by a neck to Freedom Flyer in the restricted Wishing Well going down the hill Feb. 18. Freedom Flyer returns in the Mizdirection and is the 4-1 co-second choice on the morning line.
Then on April 8, Big Summer tested the GIII Monrovia, which was scheduled for the hillside turf course but was moved to the main track. Despite the surface switch, Big Summer was beaten just three-quarters of a length by Elm Drive, who herself is a multiple graded-stakes winner on dirt. Elm Drive also returns in the Mizdirection and is 4-1 on the morning line.
In the 6 ½-furlong Monrovia, Big Summer was four-wide throughout. She launched a bid on the turn, grabbed a slight lead entering the stretch but could not sustain her rally. She grudgingly gave way to Elm Drive, who saved ground throughout racing on the rail.
“She ran really well, just she lost a of ground in that race. We’ll see if the can get them on the hill.”
Big Summer’s record on the hillside turf course is 3-2-1 in six starts. Jockey Joe Bravo, who has been aboard Big Summer for her last seven starts, again has the call on Saturday. The Mizdirection goes as Saturday’s eighth race with a scheduled post time of 5:30 p.m. The field in post position order: 1. Honey Pants, Umberto Rispoli (6-1); Canoodling, Mike Smith (4-1); Freedom Flyer, Juan Hernandez (4-1); Very Scary, Kent Desormeaux (5-1); Elm Drive, Ramon Vazquez (4-1); Lady Jae, Kyle Frey (15-1); Una Chiquita, Hector Berrios (20-1); Big Summer, Joe Bravo (7-2); One Silk Stocking, Antonio Fresu (15-1).