ARCADIA, Calif. – An Irish filly on St. Patrick’s Day at Santa Anita? Sounds like a cliché. There was nothing corny about the U.S. debut of Raw Ability, an import from Ireland who will make her second stateside start Monday. If she runs as well as she did last summer at Del Mar, Raw Ability will be tough in the second-level allowance turf mile at Santa Anita. Six fillies and mares entered the featured seventh race, none more impressive last out than Raw Ability. A debut winner in Ireland who was making a comeback for trainer John Sadler and Hronis Racing in an entry-level allowance turf mile at Del Mar, Raw Ability was dead last at the quarter pole. No problem. Jockey Hector Berrios angled Raw Ability outside, and she lit the afterburners. Raw Ability uncorked a wicked turn of foot, ran her final quarter-mile in 22.41 seconds, rallied from 10th to first, and won by a half-length. It was the type of performance that hinted at stakes potential. :: Santa Anita Clocker Reports are available every race day. Access now. “She’s got a real nice turn of foot,” Sadler said. “Obviously, we like her.” Raw Ability, 2 for 2, faces a good field Monday. Her rivals include Irish-bred mare Sareeha, who won a second-level allowance two starts back and is entered for the optional $80,000 claiming tag. Sun Of Hill, a Group 1 winner in Brazil, finished third last out against similar. Do It Divi, Kitty Kitana, and Sakura Blossom also are entered. Raw Ability was purchased at a European auction for $177,637 last year and would have run back sooner following her U.S. debut on Sept. 2. A relatively minor setback caused a delay. “She came out with a little issue, we gave her 90 days off, and then got her back ready for this winter,” Sadler said. The 4-year-old filly has worked well for her return. “We’ve been training her on the small track, and she loves it,” Sadler said, referring to the synthetic training track. And though late-runners such as Raw Ability are often less effective on turf at Santa Anita compared to Del Mar, Sadler believes the lightly raced filly may have more than one dimension. “She doesn’t look like she’s limited on one style,” he said. Sareeha could make it an Irish exacta. The veteran has won 8 of 28, including first- and second-level allowance races this winter prior to finishing fourth in a Grade 3 last out. Flavien Prat rides for trainer Mark Glatt. Sadler and Glatt also meet Monday in race 3, a nonwinners-of-three starter-allowance turf sprint in which Glatt comebacker Yellow Sun Dress is the one to catch. Prat rides Yellow Sun Dress, a front-runner/pace-presser in a field short on speed. Sadler entered Certitude, who shortens to six furlongs after winning a starter allowance at a mile on turf. Berrios rides. Santa Anita was initially scheduled to be dark Monday. The makeup program was added after racing was canceled for one week in January due to wildfires. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.