There's a top female who could make racing history while challenging the boys today, and her name is not Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta. St. Trinians, winner of the Santa Maria last out over Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic winner Life Is Sweet, will attempt to become the first female winner of the Grade I, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap.

The British-bred daughter of Piccolo, who is 11-7-0-3 lifetime, is unbeaten in four starts in the United States, also having won the Paseana Handicap in December.

She faces a field of local talent that includes Strub runner-up and Swaps winner Misremembered San Pasqual winner Neko Bay San Marcos winner Loup Breton and Native Diver winner Mast Track, who also took the 2008 Hollywood Gold Cup. Tiger’s Rock ships in for Pletcher and is cutting back to 10 furlongs after taking the marathon Gallant Fox and Coyote Lake at Aqueduct. Marsh Side, winner of the Grade I Canadian International in 2008, is trying a synthetic track again after finishing poorly in the San Antonio.

The Big 'Cap highlights a Santa Anita card that includes two other Grade Is in the Santa Anita Oaks and Kilroe Mile. In the Oaks, 2-year-old filly champion Blind Luck goes for her first straight Grade I against the lightly-raced by talented hopefuls Crisp and Zilva. In the Kilroe Mile - which produced last year's dual champion Gio Ponti - 2008 winner Ever A Friend returns to defend his title against a solid field that includes the mare Proviso stepping up against males.

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There are no stars entered in today's Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, the first graded event of the year for 3-year-olds in New York. But the race provides the opportunity to test the waters and perhaps pick up some graded earnings and move on to next month's Wood Memorial.

The first three finishers from the listed Whirlaway Stakes Feb. 6 at Aqueduct all return for another crack today. Peppi Knows wound up getting an easy trip and coasting to the win after favored Eightfiveinafifty blew the first turn and did not finish. The gelding, who also won the Finger Lakes Juvenile and finished second to Buddy’s Saint in the Remsen last fall, is 6-4-1-1 lifetime and keeps the services of jockey Richie Migliore. They break from post 6.

Afleet Again made a mild rally to finish second in the Whirlaway and Three Day Rush, a Todd Pletcher trainee, who has been off the board just once in seven starts, was third after encountering trouble on the first turn when Eightyfiveinafifty bolted.

The morning-line favorite is European shipper Awesome Act, an English-based colt who most recently was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. The colt gets the services of 2009 Eclipse winning rider Julien Leparoux.

Wayne Lukas sends in Wow Wow Wow for socialite Marylou Whitney. The colt was eighth in his only stakes try in the Smarty Jones, but most recently was a solid allowance winner at Oaklawn. Corey Nakatani, who is now based at Oaklawn, comes in to ride.

Yawanna Twist is stretching out around two turns for the first time after beating New York-bred rivals by a combined 10 lengths in his first two starts. He gets the services of Hall of Fame rider Edgar Prado.

Nacho Friend is making his first start since finishing a close fourth in the Sanford last summer at Saratoga. Turf Melody, unplaced in the Lecomte Stakes, completes the field.

The Gotham is the feature on Aqueduct’s 11-race card that includes two other stakes. Wall Street Wonder, winner of the Paumonok on Jan. 23, tries graded company for the first time in the 117th running of the Grade III Toboggan. Rival Custom For Carlos is coming off back-to-back stakes wins, including the Grade III Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream. Three-year-old sprinters take the stage in the 109th running of the Fred "Cappy" Capossela.

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Fillies and mares hoping for an invitation to take on Rachel and Zenyatta in next month's Apple Blossom will get a chance to make an impression in today's local prep, the Grade III Azeri Stakes. Just Jenda, a two-time Grade III winner last year, is making her season debut for Cindy and Larry Jones.

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Paddy o' Prado and Dean's Kitten, both of whom broke their maidens at Saratoga, have outside shots in today's Grade III Palm Beach Stakes for 3-year-olds at Gulfstream.

The nine-furlong event is more notable for who's not in the gate than who is running. Todd Pletcher's stakes-winning colt Interactif and maiden winner Lentenor - the full brother to Barbaro - were both considered strong contenders, but will instead wait for a spot to try dirt.

When he's right, he's right. In his most spectacular performance yet, Quality Road served notice that we'd better not concede the entire season to the ladies just yet, running away with the Grade I Donn Handicap.

The highweight at 123, Quality Road sat in second throughout, took command on the far turn, and steadily drew away under no urging from Johnny Velazquez to win by nearly 13. His time of 1:47.49 broke his own track record of 1:47.72 that he set in last year's Florida Derby.

Quality Road showed flashes of brilliance last year - winning the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby and setting a Saratoga track record in the Amsterdam - but also struggled with quarter cracks, muddy tracks and gate issues. Trainer Todd Pletcher hopes that is behind the colt now; he says Quality Road will be freshened and pointed to the Met Mile.

"He’s got a very high cruising speed and can go 46 and 1:09 and still keep going. Not many horses can do that and he was spotting weight to all those horses, six pounds or more," Pletcher said. "The plan for him here all along was to run in the Hal’s Hope and then the Donn, give him a little break, and then point for the Met Mile and the big races at Saratoga before the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the fall."

Dry Martini, winner of last year's Suburban, rallied for second and Delightful Kiss came from last to be third.

Quality Road's performance helped erase some of the sting of the day for Pletcher, as he saw his Take the Points cross the line first in the Grade I Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap only to be disqualified.

Coming down the stretch, Kent Desormeaux, on Yate's Black Cat, went for a hole between pacesetter Le Grand Cru on the rail and a closing Take the Points. But the hole was moving faster than he was, Le Grand Cru was holding his ground at the rail, and Take the Points worsened the problem by drifting in under right-handed urging from Edgar Prado. Yate's Black Cat clipped heels badly in traffic and stumbled.

Following a steward's inquiry, Take the Points was placed fifth. Pletcher says he'll consider an appeal since Take the Points wasn't solely to blame for the issue.

The beneficiary was Court Vision, who closed on the outside to be second and was moved up to first with the DQ. The winner of last year's Shadwell Mile, the 5-year-old was ridden by Robby Albarado for Rick Dutrow and IEAH Stables. Never on Sunday was second and Le Grand Cru third.

Also on the card, Tottie won the Grade III Suwanee River over Cable and In My Glory.

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Peppi Knows scored his second stakes win in the Whirlaway at Aqueduct after favored Eightyfiveinafifty took himself out of the race on the first turn.

Eightyfiveinafifty was rank while being rushed up to the lead in the first quarter mile under Jorge Chavez. He then blew the turn and Chavez, sensing it wasn't his day, attempted to pull him up along the outside rail. At some point, however, the bit and reins broke, causing Chavez to lose control of the colt. Eightyfiveinafifty jumped both outside rails, tossing Chavez, and ran back through the stable area, where he was caught by a stable gate employee before he could escape onto the highway.

Trainer Gary Contessa says he'll go back to the drawing board with the colt, who was physically fine except for a cut on his hind leg that needed stitches.

"He'll need a couple of stitches. I'll need a Valium," Contessa quipped.

Chavez complained of back pain and will take off his lone mount Sunday; X-rays were negative and he's expected to ride again Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Peppi Knows led wire to wire but was shortening stride at the end, just holding off a closing Afleet Again. Richie Migliore, in his second day back after sustaining a mild concussion, rode the winner.

The winner flattered the form of Buddy's Saint, who he finished second behind in last fall's Remsen. Peppi Knows also won the Finger Lakes Juvenile Stakes in October.

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A pair of horses who were on last year's Triple Crown trail turned in solid performances on Saturday. In the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn, Racing Bran upset favored Win Willy, but the second was an encouraging effort from a promising colt who missed last year's Triple Crown with an injury.

In his first start since finishing third in the Preakness, Musket Man held off Guam Typhoon to win the Super Stakes at Tampa by a neck.

Musket Man, who is 6-for-9 lifetime, also won the Illinois Derby and was third in the Kentucky Derby last year.