It’s Composure, Elloluv in the Battle of the Bays

Although three other 3-year-old fillies are entered the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks, only Composure and Elloluv matter.

The bays have split their two previous meetings. Elloluv, a 30-1 longshot who had broken her maiden five weeks before, went wire-to-wire and upset Composure, the 1-5 favorite, in the Hollywood Starlet on Dec. 14.

When the scene shifted to Santa Anita for the Las Virgenes on Feb. 9, the odds were a lot closer and the result was different.

Composure, the 4-5 favorite, won by a neck over Elloluv, who was the 13-10 second choice, but the margin of victory wasn’t indicative of how dominant Composure was.

She overcame a stumbling start, a slow pace and traffic trouble to prevail for the third time in seven races for owners Bob and Beverly Lewis and trainer Bob Baffert.

A winner of the 1999 Oaks with Excellent Meeting, Baffert will also be trying to win another important 3-year-old filly race in Louisiana.

Atlantic Ocean, the $1.9 million purchase earlier this year at Barretts, will be trying for her fourth consecutive victory in the $350,000 Fair Grounds Oaks at 1 1/16 miles. David Flores, who has been aboard Atlantic Ocean during her win streak, will ride the daughter of Stormy Atlantic.

The Grade II race also lured Lady Tak, unbeaten in four races against lesser competition for trainer Steve Asmussen, and four others.

Race of the day: Tough Game will try for his second win in a row for Baffert in the $75,000 Tokyo City Handicap at 1 1/16 miles. The race is the ninth of 10 on the card at Santa Anita.

Who’s hot: Jerry Bailey. The country’s perennial leader rider will be trying for his seventh stakes victory at Santa Anita -- from limited opportunities -- and he is named on several other top contenders today besides Composure in the Oaks.

Who’s not: Manuel Azpurua. The Florida-based trainer lost with his first 33 starters in 2003.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Desiraes My Candy, Les Yeux Mauves and the entry of Jadore-Tangara in the eighth, singling Tough Game in the ninth and Erin, Queen Of Deals, Souvenir Party, Winsome Witch and Bartok’s Blithe in the 10th.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 6/143. Money: Previous day/meet total: $33.40/$830.80. Total money bet: $906.