SANTA ANITA : 3rd Straight Victory on Line for Tsu’s Dawning in Stakes Race

Tsu’s Dawning will be after his third straight victory when he faces six other sophomores in the $75,000-added Santa Catalina Stakes on Wednesday at Santa Anita Park.

The 1 1/16th-mile Santa Catalina is an early preparation race for the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 7.

Tsu’s Dawning made an inauspicious debut in November, finishing fifth. He broke his maiden by 5 1/2 lengths at a mile in his second start, then triumphed by two lengths in allowance company to close out 1989.

Tsu’s Dawning campaigns under the silks of Royal Lines for trainer Eddie Gregson, the same connection that raced his sire Tsunami Slew in 1983-85 when he captured eight stakes, including the Grade I Carleton F. Burke Handicap at Santa Anita.

With a field of seven runners, the Santa Catalina Stakes will offer an $81,450 purse and the winner will receive $47,700.

In post position order, the field includes Music Prospector, Frank Olivares, 114; Tsu’s Dawning, Chris McCarron, 120; Flying Reb, Eddie Delahoussaye, 114; Senegalaise, Gary Stevens, 114; Short Timer, 114; Shapiro’s Hero, Alex Solis, 114; El Toreo, Sandy Hawley, 114.

Shapiro’s Hero comes off a fast-closing third-place finish in the California Breeders’ Champion Stakes.

Short Timer took five tries to break his maiden against claimers but came right back to score an allowance victory in his last race.

Flying Reb broke his maiden last time, upsetting Sir Beaufort, a top 3-year-old in trainer Charlie Whittingham’s shed row.