Santa Anita Park Picks | Possibly Perfect Stakes 2024

Following a confidence-boosting win, Musical Rhapsody will get a fifth try at upending Linda’s Gift in Saturday’s $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita Park.

First post Saturday is 1 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.

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Trained by Phil D’Amato, Musical Rhapsody escaped the shadow of Linda’s Gift in last month’s 1 ½ -mile Santa Barbara Stakes on turf and responded with her first career stakes win by a nose over Duvet Day, who also returns in the Possibly Perfect. Prior to that effort, Musical Rhapsody had dropped four straight decisions to Linda’s Gift beginning last August at Del Mar.

In two matchups this year, Musical Rhapsody was second to Linda’s Gift in the 1 ½-mile Astra in January then was a well-beaten fifth behind winner Linda’s Gift a month later in the GIII Santa Ana at 1 ¼ miles. Hall of Famer Mike Smith has been aboard Musical Rhapsody for her previous five starts and retains the mount.

Musical Rhapsody, an Ireland-bred, is a 5-year-old mare by Holy Roman Emperor. Owned by Michael House, her overall record in the U.S. and Ireland is 17: 5-2-0 with $166,097 in earnings.

Linda’s Gift most recently had a three-race win streak snapped when fifth in the GI Gamely at 1 1/8 miles May 27 at Santa Anita. Trained by Richard Mandella, she had previously won the aforementioned Santa Ana and Astra plus the GIII Red Carpet at Del Mar last November.

Linda’s Gift is a 5-year-old Arrogate mare owned by John Cronin, Anthony DiMarco, Michael A. Mandara et al. Her record is 14: 5-2-2 with $320,936 in earnings. She will have regular rider Tiago Pereira aboard.

Duvet Day had the lead in the stretch of the Santa Barbara before getting nailed late by Musical Rhapsody. Trained by Michael McCarthy, she also finished behind both Linda’s Gift and Musical Rhapsody when third in the Astra and seventh in the Santa Barbara.

Bred in Ireland, Duvet Day is a 5-year-old mare by Starspangledbanner. She is owned by Jane Bacharach, Cedros and Richard Schatz. Duvet Day’s record, which includes two starts in Ireland, is 19: 3-5-3 with $248,813 in earnings. She will have Juan Hernandez in the irons.