Betting With, and Against, Manhattan Jungle in the Sweet Life Stakes

Santa Anita Racetrack (Photo by Benoit Photography)

February 10th, 2023

A sizable field of 11 sophomore fillies will travel about 6 1/2 furlongs down the Hillside Turf Course in Saturday’s $100,000 Sweet Life S. The deep field is led by multiple stakes heroine #4 Manhattan Jungle (5-2), who concluded her fine two-year-old season with a runner-up showing in the Blue Norther S. on the surface for conditioner Mike McCarthy.

Manhattan Jungle, who has run twice on U.S. soil after importing from France, has displayed early foot in both of her route tries in the states and seems like a logical contender on the cutback to a sprint on Saturday. Bred in Ireland, the three-year-old miss gave a nice account of herself over a "good" course last time out and will be tough to deny with any improvement off of that performance. The bay Bungle Inthejungle sophomore shows a trio of solid morning moves in advance of the affair and will never be far back with turf ace Frankie Dettori up.

Manhattan Jungle (outside, 4F: 47.40 H) working this morning in company with Jennifer’s d’Light (inside, 4F: 47.40 H). pic.twitter.com/sI9ICHSozY
— Ernie Belmonte (@ErnieBPhoto93) December 4, 2022

I have a lot of interest in fellow European filly #6 Decorated My Life (8-1) in her seasonal bow. The bay Mehmas filly closed with fine energy to be runner-up in the Jimmy Durante S. (G3) in her U.S. debut, but she didn’t handle the "off" going in the subsequent Blue Norther on the surface last time out. The Irish-bred bay makes her third run since coming to the U.S. and figures to thrive on the move to sprinting to enhance her late kick. She will be fit following a trio of useful morning moves as of late with Joe Bravo retaining the ride.

#7 Itzel (6-1) has early foot in a field lacking an abundance of pace and intrigues despite making the huge maiden claiming-to-stakes class rise. By Mo Town, the three-year-old lass showed heart and a closing kick last time out and could be of good value on this occasion under Umberto Rispoli. The Texas-bred sophomore could be any kind in her first off the claim for sprint specialist Peter Miller.

The Jeff Mullins-trained #2 Ragtime Rose (12-1) is better than she appears to be on paper and will appreciate cutting back to a sprint at a nice price. The expensive Union Rags filly is proven on the oval and gets a pass for her latest over "good" turf. The chestnut gets a ride change to Hector Berrios, as well.