Fresh off her hard-fought victory over 'TDN Rising Star' Elate (Medaglia d'Oro) in the GI Personal Ensign at Saratoga Aug. 25, last year's champion 3-year-old filly Abel Tasman (Quality Road) enters Sunday's GI Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita, a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' event, as the clear-cut horse to beat.
Abel Tasman has kept Grade I company for 10 of her last 11 starts winning six, including the 2017 GI Kentucky Oaks. The bay has been on the move this year, finishing a dull fourth on Kentucky Oaks day in the GI La Troienne S. before a monster 7 1/2-length victory in the GI Ogden Phipps S. on Belmont day. Meeting Elate for the third time in the Personal Ensign, the two put on a show for the ages, dueling and bumping down the stretch. Abel Tasman, the 2-5 morning-line favorite here, has put in four strong works since, including a bullet, to prepare for this.
Her strongest challenge may come from her own stablemate, the fellow Bob Baffert-trainee Vale Dori (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}). After winning six straight from 2016-17, including the GI Santa Margarita S., she has struggled to find her best form, but may be improving. A two-month break before her last start in the Aug. 24 Tranquility Lake S. at Del Mar resulted in a good runner-up performance.
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