Diamondrella, shown rallying to capture Keeneland's First Lady Stakes last-October, makes her next start in Grade 1 company at Santa Anita.

     IEAH Stables' Diamondrella, trained by Gary Stevens, is entered to make her next start in the Grade 1, $250,000 Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita on Sunday, January 31. Approximate post time is 7:07 p.m. (Eastern) for the day's eighth race.
     Garrett Gomez has the mount on Diamondrella from the rail post position in a field of 12 fillies and mares, ages 4 and up.
     The race will be run at seven furlongs on the main track.
     The following Daily Racing Form coverage previews her scheduled start.
     Diamondrella is listed at 10-1 on the morning line, with Proviso favored at 3-1. The consensus selections, in order, of DRF handicappers are Proviso, Sweet August Moon, and Tuscan Evening.
     Brad Free, DRF's lead analyst at Santa Anita, selects Tuscan Evening, Czechers, and Evita Argentina. He writes, "TUSCAN EVENING was the top choice orginally, but she is expected to scratch from this main-track sprint and wait for the Buena Vista at one mile on turf Feb. 15. That leaves longshot CZECHERS as the potential upsetter. She missed by only a length last time in a G3 turf sprint, and since then she has worked super over the Pro-Ride racing surface. CZECHERS has speed, will be among the first to attack into the lane, and can post an upset because FREE FLYING SOUL had her training pattern interrupted by rain and deep closer EVITA ARGENTINA may not get the same pace set-up that led to her La Brea victory. In a wide open race, CZECHERS and jockey Chantal Sutherland can spring a pace-pressing upset. EVITA ARGENTINA will be among the choices, and her established ability at seven furlongs makes her an obvious threat. But she benefitted from a contested pace winning the G1 La Brea on opening day, and it is uncertain of the pace will be as quick this time. She obviously is qualified to win, but she also will be underlaid. FREE FLYING SOUL is the one to catch, but rain caused a disruption in her work schedule. She may or may not be as sharp as she was last out. PROVISO is a seven-furlong specialist, she will roll late. GILDED GEM is 2-for-2, on the improve, and could be this good."
     Art Gropper took "A Closer Look" at Diamondrella: "Lone synthetic surface start was poor defeating 1 runner home; her field-best Beyer speed figure in June was accomplished over a less than firm turf course at 1 Mile; landed behind Tuscan Evening on grass 2 back; Group 1 sire posted a 10-13 record (1.8M); is the 1st foal out of a 3-10 dam (125K) who produced 2 other winless kin (0-3, 8K); seeking the winner elsewhere."

     Czechers may be late-bloomer

By Brad Free, DRF

ARCADIA, Calif. - Early this month, the Grade 1 Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita was shaping up as the best early-season stakes of the winter meet.

January, however, was wet. Rain disrupted training, horsemen altered workout schedules, and Sunday's seven-furlong Santa Monica for fillies and mares went from a predictably strong $250,000 stakes featuring three top-class runners, to a wide-open race begging for chaos.

Tuscan Evening, Free Flying Soul, and Evita Argentina are the headline names in the field of 12, but their classy reputations will be subject to revision afterward. Tuscan Evening is expected to scratch, Free Flying Soul might not be at her best, and deep closer Evita Argentina is unlikely to get another favorable pace scenario.

Assuming the favorites are compromised by circumstance, the Santa Monica could be won by a 5-year-old mare whose retirement from racing is also subject to change pending her Santa Monica performance.

Czechers is booked this spring to the stallion Candy Ride, but those plans were made before she turned in the best race of her career Jan. 3. Racing in a turf sprint, Czechers settled off the pace for the first time, and came running late. Her runner-up finish at 47-1 was not as much of a surprise as the way she did it.

"It was never a matter of her ability," trainer Mark Glatt said, "but throughout her career she's never been willing to drop the bit and finish."

Czechers has won 5 of 17 for owners Allen and Susan Branch, but she was her own worst enemy due to her aggressive style. She frequently went fast early, and sputtered late. Glatt made two changes he hoped would allow Czechers to maximize her potential - run her in a downhill turf sprint and put jockey Chantal Sutherland aboard.

"We were just taking a shot," Glatt said. "With a horse that pulls, pulls, pulls, the downhill course is a good race. And Chantal did a fantastic job."

Glatt noted that he believes there is a connection between Czechers and Sutherland, "and I've seen it in the mornings, too."

Sutherland was riding Czechers for the first time in the Monrovia Handicap, and when they were outfooted for the lead, Czechers allowed Sutherland to finesse her back off the pace. Instead of zooming forward, Czechers settled midpack, rallied late, and missed by a length to Tuscan Evening.

Was it a one-shot fluke for Czechers?

"It might have been just a lucky deal the other day," Glatt admits. "But [Sutherland] talks her out of being so gung-ho early."

Sunday in the Santa Monica, the key is to reproduce good turf form on the main track. And the last two workouts by Czechers were super. Sutherland was up both times.

The Santa Monica field will not include the filly that just beat Czechers. Tuscan Evening will not run, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said. He said Tuscan Evening will wait for the Grade 2 Buena Vista Handicap at a mile on turf Feb. 15. "After looking at everything, we decided to stick to our original plan," Hollendorfer said.

Free Flying Soul, who has won 3 of her last 4 and was third in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, will set the Santa Monica pace. But though her recent races are sharp, rain and wet weather upset the mare's optimum schedule for trainer Bruce Headley. Free Flying Soul might not be at her best. Mike Smith rides.

With the expected scratch of one key starter and potential vulnerability of another, seven-furlong specialist Evita Argentina will be heavily backed. She benefited, however, from a severe early pace set by Kays N Jays and Amazing Grace when she rallied from last to first and won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26.

Neither of those front-runners entered the Santa Monica, which softens the pace and could negate Evita Argentina's late run. John Sadler trains the 4-year-old Evita Argentina, who has won 6 of 13 and could start favored under Joel Rosario.

The field for the Santa Monica also includes Gabby's Golden Gal, beaten favorite in the Grade 1 La Brea while possibly struggling with the surface. She is trained by Bob Baffert, who also entered the 2-for-2 allowance filly Gilded Gem.

Completing the field are Diamondrella, Cherryblossommiss, Captain's Lover, Made for Magic, Proviso, and Sweet August Moon.