Quattroelle Aims to Continue Win Streak in Wilshire

Irish-bred Quattroelle seeks her third graded stakes victory of the year as she heads the $100,000 Wilshire Stakes (G3T) April 30 at Santa Anita Park. For older fillies and mares at one mile on turf, the Wilshire has attracted a field of seven.

Trained by Jeff Mullins and owned by Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, Quattroelle will again be ridden by Hector Berrios, who has patiently guided the 5-year-old daughter of Mehmas to consecutive come-from-behind scores at one mile on the grass in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) March 4 and the Megahertz Stakes (G3T) Feb. 4.

All five of Quattroelle’s wins have come on the Santa Anita turf. Third in her lone start in Ireland prior to making her first start for Mullins Oct. 3, 2020, Quattroelle is 5-3-4 in 15 career starts with earnings of $412,772.

Quattrelle isn’t the only runner entered off a win streak. Rhea Moon will make her 2023 debut after closing 2022 with three straight wins. Idle since winning the American Oaks Stakes (G1T) at 1 1/4 miles Dec. 26, Phil D’Amato’s Irish-bred daughter of Starspangledbanner (AUS) rallied from off the pace to take the Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T) at one mile two starts back Oct. 29. Those three wins were in races restricted to 3-year-old fillies as she’s set for her 4-year-old debut.

Owned by Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch and Talla Racing, Rhea Moon again will be handled by Juan Hernandez. With an overall mark of 4-3-2 from nine starts, she has earnings of $371,831.

D’Amato is also represented by Brazilian-bred Macadamia , who, in her first North American graded stakes assignment, finished a troubled second, beaten a half-length by Quattroelle in the Buena Vista. She will be ridden for the first time by Diego Herrera. A 5-year-old mare by the Sunday Silence stallion Hat Trick, Macadamia is owned by R Unicorn Stable. A two-time group I winner in Brazil, Macadamia has one win from six stateside starts and is 3-3-2 in 11 starts with earnings of $144,413.

Fresh off the best race of her career, California-bred Closing Remarks is yet another distaffer who rates a huge chance in the Wilshire with regular rider Joe Bravo back aboard for Carla Gaines. A dazzling 1 1/2-length winner of the Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T) at one mile April 1, this 5-year-old Harris Farms homebred mare by Vronsky earned a career-top 92 Beyer as the 6-5 favorite.

Never better, Closing Remarks, who is out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, seeks her second graded victory as she enters the Wilshire with a bankroll of $554,820 from an overall mark of 4-5-4 in 18 starts.

A maiden $30,000 claiming winner going 7 1/2 furlongs on turf four starts back at Turf Paradise Dec. 19, Very Scary is a very legitimate threat on the lead or thereabouts for trainer Ian Kruljac.