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.

Longshot St. Trinians ran down Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic winner Life is Sweet to upset the Grade II Santa Maria Handicap on Saturday; both are now headed toward much bigger goals.

St Trinians, an English-bred who is unbeaten in four starts in the United States, will start in the Santa Anita Handicap against males on March 6, rather than meeting Zenyatta a week later in the Santa Margarita. No female has ever won the Big ‘Cap.

Life is Sweet, making her first start since the Nov. 6 Ladies Classic, closed from last to just miss in a solid 2010 debut. Trainer John Shirreffs said the mare is still under consideration for the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 27. Life is Sweet was third against males in last summer’s Hollywood Gold Cup.

Derby notes

In his season debut, Rule scored a professional, wire-to-wire win in the Grade III Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. The son of Roman Ruler, already virtually assured a Derby starting spot with his win in the Delta Jackpot to end last season, was winning his third straight stakes.

Rule is out of the Personal Flag mare Rockcide, a half-sister to Funny Cide.

Trainer Todd Pletcher says that the colt will likely step up to Grade I company in the Florida Derby next out.

The California-bred gelding Caracortado remained unbeaten in five starts with an upset win in the rescheduled Robert B. Lewis at a mile and a sixteenth at Santa Anita. The diminutive colt tackled highly-regarded pacesetter Tiz Chrome in upper stretch and pulled away for a workmanlike score. Dave in Dixie closed well for second over American Lion.

Caracortado could clash with 2-year-old champion Lookin at Lucky in next month’s San Felipe.

In other 3-year-old action at Santa Anita, the speedy Sidney’s Candy took the seven-furlong San Vicinte in a gate-to-wire score.