Santa Ysabel
Bob Baffert brings a strong hand into Sunday's local prep for the GI Kentucky Oaks in Santa Anita's GIII Santa Ysabel S. Leading the charge is Eda (Munnings), last out winner of the GI Starlet S. Dec.4 where she defeated fellow Santa Ysabel contender Cairo Memories (Cairo Prince) by a gamhalf-length. She'll be looking for her fourth stakes victory in a row after also decisively winning both the Desi Arnaz S. and the Anoakia S. last fall. Not to be outdone by her stablemate, Under the Stars (Pioneerof the Nile) posted...
After only a head separated Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) and Moraz (Empire Maker) in a thrilling renewal of the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 7, the two sophomore fillies will meet again in Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks. The streaking Baoma Corp homebred Beautiful Gift, a half-sister to the Chu Family's GIII Sunland Derby hero and Bridlewood Farm sire Chitu (Henny Hughes), graduated by a half-length at second asking in her previous trip to the post for Bob Baffert Oct. 23. The rail-drawn Don Alberto homebred Moraz, an 11-length maiden...
She had to be worked on early in Sunday's GIII Santa Ysabel S. at Santa Anita and seemed an unlikely winner as late as the eighth pole, but Baoma Corporation's Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) produced a strong rally in deep stretch to nail Moraz (Empire Maker) in the last jump while making her first start since October. A debut third behind re-opposing GSW barnmate Kalypso (Brody's Cause) going 5 1/2 furlongs Sept. 5 at Del Mar, the homebred stretched out to a local mile Oct. 23 and surged in the...
Sunday's five-horse GIII Santa Ysabel S. features runners from just two barns, with Hall of Famer Bob Baffert represented by three fillies and Mike McCarthy saddling the other two. Baffert-trained Kalypso (Brody's Cause) stands out on speed figures, and boasts a two-back victory in the GII Santa Ynez S. sprinting here Jan. 3. Also a winner of the six-panel Anoakia S. here last October, the $240,000 Fasig-Tipton July buy was last seen finishing second as a front-running favorite in the one-mile GIII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 6. Baoma Corp. homebred...