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Laura's Light Among Nine Other Fillies Set for San Clemente

Author: Don Mckee
Published: Tuesday July 21, 2020
Gary Barber's Laura's Light will aim for her third stakes victory this season when she goes up against nine other 3-year-old fillies in the $150,000 San Clemente Stakes (G2T) July 25 at Del Mar.

"Laura's Light is training great," trainer Peter Miller said. "She's training very well, and she's had a couple months since her last race, so she should be fit and fresh."

Laura's Light is coming into the one-mile San Clemente off a victory in the May 30 Honeymoon Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. 

The daughter of Constitution kicked off her 2020 season with a Feb. 16 victory in the Sweet Life Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita as well, which was her first career graded win.

The filly's only disappointing performance this year took place when she finished fourth in the Maxim Crane Works Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park on March 14. That event was the only race where Laura's Light did not finish on the board.

At the age of 2, Laura's Light broke her maiden on debut and then went on to finish second in the Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T). She finished that season with a victory in the Blue Norther Stakes. 

She will break from post 3 under jockey Abel Cedillo in the San Clemente.

Peter Miller's Other Entrant

Trainer Peter Miller is also set to send out Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners She's So Special in the race. The Hard Spun filly has won four of her six starts this year, but the San Clemente will be her first time among graded company. 

She's So Special is coming off a June 6 victory in the Desert Code Stakes at Santa Anita, where she won by a half-length. The filly will break from the rail under jockey Flavien Prat.

"The rail is good around two turns, she can save some ground," said Miller. "We drew good with both of them. They both have speed, and they're both tactical. We're excited, and both fillies are doing really well. Both have a lot of natural speed, so that should serve us really well. We're expecting big efforts out of both of them."

Richard Baltas' Entrants

Trainer Richard Baltas will send out a pair of fillies in the race, including Little Bird. 

The San Clemente will be Little Bird's fourth start in the United States for Baltas, Next Wave Racing, and Ritchie Robershaw. The daughter of Free Eagle kicked off her 2020 season with a Jan. 31 victory in an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita. 

However, she went on to finish off the board in the March 7 China Doll Stakes at the same track.

Little Bird worked a bullet five furlongs on the Del Mar turf July 16 and clocked in 1:02 2/5. She will break from post 7 under jockey Ruben Fuentes. 

Baltas will also send in Applecross, breaking from the outside post 11. The daughter of Sir Prancealot will make her third start in the United States.

The filly owned by Medallion Racing, Next Wave Racing, and Jerry McClanahan placed third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes and fifth in the Jimmy Durante last year. She will be joined by jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

Other possible entrants for the race include Warren's Showtime, who is a multiple stakes winner. Bred in California, the Clubhouse filly has three stakes victories this season for trainer Craig Anthony Lewis, including the Jan. 18 California Cup Oaks, the March 7 China Doll Stakes, and the June 21 Melair Stakes. All of those races took place at Santa Anita.