MADAME STRIPES, SHEEZA MILKY WAY, JUNO & PLACE DES VOSGES ALL PROMINENT IN GRADE III, WILSHIRE

By Mike Willman —-

MADAME STRIPES, SHEEZA MILKY WAY, JUNO & PLACE DES VOSGES ALL PROMINENT IN GRADE III, $100,000 WILSHIRE STAKES AS FILLIES & MARES GO FLAT MILE ON TURF

ARCADIA, Calif. (June 28, 2017)—Madame Stripes, Sheeza Milky Way, Juno and Place des Vosges all loom prominently in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Wilshire Stakes, for fillies and mares three and up at one mile over the Santa Anita turf.

Trained by Neil Drysdale, Argentine-bred Madame Stripes rallied from off the pace to be beaten a nose in a one mile turf allowance here June 11.A recent winner of two one mile turf allowances, trainer Peter Eurton’s Sheeza Milky is at the top of her game as she bids for her first stakes win and Drysdale’s Brazilian-bred Juno will stretch out following a close fourth down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in the Grade II Monrovia Stakes on May 27.Long fused Place des Vosges shortens up a quarter mile off of a sharp third in a minor turf stakes here on June 4.

MADAME STRIPES: Unlucky to lose as the 3-2 favorite over the course and distance June 11, this 5-year-old mare has run well in three consecutive allowance races here dating back to a first condition allowance win at a mile on turf on April 16.Owned by Gainseway Stable, Madame Stripes is 10-2-5-0 and has earnings of $121,443.

SHEEZA MILKY WAY: In search of a three-peat at a mile over the Santa Anita turf, this 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Sidney’s Candy could certainly go favored in a race that lacks a clear cut standout.With all four of her career wins coming at a mile on turf, she’s well positioned for a big effort with Rafael Bejarano slated to ride her back.Owned by Sharon Alesia, Robin Christianson, Ciaglia Racing, LLC and Harry Crusberg, Sheeza Milky Way has a terrific turn of foot and would benefit from a fast pace.With an overall mark of 15-4-1-3, she has earnings of $210,155.

JUNO: Ridden by Kent Desormeaux in her last two starts, she was a measured fourth, beaten 2 ¼ lengths, in the Grade II Monrovia Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf on May 27 and would appear better suited to a flat mile. Gary Stevens will ride Juno for the first time for owner Team Valor International.A repeat of her effort two starts back, a third place finish in the Grade II, one mile turf Royal Heroine Stakes on April 8, would put her right in the thick of things on Saturday.Blessed with an abundance of early speed, she opened up by six lengths early in the Royal Heroine and will likely be joined in the early going by speedy Enola Gray.With three wins from four starts at one mile on turf, Juno is 11-5-0-2 overall with earnings of $113,652.

PLACE DES VOSGES:Trained by Richard Baltas, she rallied to be third, beaten one length in the 1 ¼ miles turf Possibly Perfect Stakes on June 4.Owned by Abbondanza Racing, LLC, she has two seconds and a third from five tries at one mile on turf and will be heavily dependent upon a fast early pace in the one mile Wilshire.A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Pleasantly Perfect, she’s 25-4-6-4 overall with earnings of $222,420.

THE GRADE III WILSHIRE STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 10 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Juno – Gary Stevens – 122
Madame Stripes – Joseph Talamo – 122
Place des Vosges – Corey Nakatani – 122
Enola Gray – Flavien Prat – 122
Prize Exhibit – Santiago Gonzalez – 126
Sheeza Milky Way – Rafael Bejarano – 122

First post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.Admission gates open at 11 a.m.

About Us

Santa Anita Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is North America’s premier supplier of virtual online horseracing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.