AG BULLET LOOKS FOR CONSECUTIVE STAKES WINS ON THE HILLSIDE TURF COURSE IN SATURDAY'S GIII, $100,000 MONROVIA STAKES FOR OLDER FILLIES AND MARES

1 OF 5 STAKES ON 12-RACE SANTA ANITA DERBY DAY

ARCADIA, CA (April 3, 2023)—Ag Bullet takes aim at a second consecutive stakes win on Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course in the GIII, $100,000 Monrovia Stakes for older fillies and mares on Saturday.

Ag Bullet returned from an 11-month layoff to win the restricted Wishing Well Stakes at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside course Feb. 25. It was her first start for trainer Richard Baltas. As a 3-year-old last year, the daughter of Twirling Candy broke her maiden out of the turf chute in January then came back to take the one-mile Lady of Shamrock on turf for previous trainer George Papaprodromou.

Ag Bullet went to the sidelines after shipping to Turfway Park last March and finishing fifth in the Bourbonette Oaks at 1 1/16 miles on synthetic. Owned by Calvin Nguyen and Joey C. Tran, Ag Bullet is 5: 3-0-0 with $170,300 in earnings. Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard for the Wishing Well win, again has the call on Saturday.

Others in the lineup exiting the Wishing Well are runner-up Gracelund Grey, third-place finisher Miss Lizzy and fifth-place finisher Ice Dancing.

Gracelund Gray finished 1 ¼ lengths back of Ag Bullet in the Wishing Well. Trained by Peter Eurton, the 5-year-old Goldencents mare has hit the board in three of four starts down the hill without a win. Prior to the Wishing Well, she was beaten just three-quarters of a length when third in the GIII Las Cienegas down the hill Jan. 14.

A mere $25,000 auction buy as a yearling, Gracelund Gray is owned by John Gravenslund and Kelley Gravenslund and has a record of 4-2-3 in 14 starts with $172,711. Gracelund Gray will be reunited with Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez, who was aboard for the near-miss in the Las Cienegas.

Miss Lizzy, trained by Doug O'Neill, is a supplemental entry after not being originally nominated. Her third in the Wishing Well was her first stakes try in 16 career starts. Prior to the Wishing Well, the 4-year-old Classic Empire filly won a first-level allowance going six furlongs on Santa Anita's flat turf course.

Miss Lizzy, who will be ridden by Hector Berrios, is campaigned by breeder Glenn Sorgenstein, WC Racing Inc. and Wonderland Racing Stables LLC. She is 4-4-3 in 16 starts with $182,830 in earnings.

Ice Dancing was beaten just 1 ½ lengths by Ag Bullet in the Wishing Well. It was her first start on turf for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. As a 3-year-old last year, the Frosted filly won the GIII Santa Ynez going seven furlong on dirt at Santa Anita in January.

Ice Dancing races as a homebred for Perry and Ramona Bass. She is 2-1-2 in eight starts with $235,100 in earnings. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Ice Dancing for the fifth time, which includes the Wishing Well.

A key contender not exiting the Wishing Well is Comanche Country, who returns after more than eight months on the sidelines for trainer Phil D'Amato. As a 2-year-old in 2022, Comanche Country won both the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf and GIII Surfer Girl at Santa Anita prior to an off-the-board finish in that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.

Comanche County made four starts last year, all in stakes, with her best finish being a second in the one-mile China Doll Stakes here in March. She went to the sidelines following an 11th-place effort in the GII San Clemente July 22 at Del Mar.

Comanche Country will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura. Bred in Ireland, where she made two starts before coming to the U.S., Comanche Country is a daughter of Highland Reel. She is 3-2-0 in 10 starts with $267,287 in earnings.

THE GIII MONROVIA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 12 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Gracelund Gray—Juan Hernandez—122
2. Ice Dancing—Mike Smith—124
3. Comanche Country—Kazushi Kimura—124
4. Chismosa—Kyle Frey—124
5. Miss Lizzy—Hector Berrios—120
6. Ag Bullet—Umberto Rispoli—122
7. Lucky Girl—Antonio Fresu—122
8. Getthemoney—Frankie Dettori—120

With 12 races Saturday, including five stakes, first post time is 12 p.m.. Admission gates will open at 10 a.m.