Kyniska, victorious in both of her American starts for trainer Bobby Frankel, makes her initial U.S. stakes try in the $100,000 Tuzla Handicap (gr. IIIT) on the Santa Anita turf Jan. 25. She is part of a 14-horse field of older fillies and mares expected to crowd the gate.
The Tuzla is the companion feature on the Santa Anita program with the Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II) for sprinters.
Owned by Peter R. Bradley and Ronchalon Stable, Kyniska has been favored in both of her starts on this side of the pond. However, the 4-year-old daughter of Choisir loses the services of jockey Garrett Gomez, who winds up on Storybook. Jose Valdivia Jr. gets the call in the one-mile Tuzla. They will break from post 4.
The Irish-bred filly was group-placed in her native country while winning one of five starts prior to transferring to the U.S. last fall. In her first start for Frankel, the bay overcame a slow start to score by a neck over first-level allowance foes on the Hollywood Park lawn Nov. 19. Kyniska stepped up a notch to hold off Spring Style by a head at nine furlongs on the Santa Anita turf Dec. 31.
Magical Fantasy, who exits four successive grade I efforts that included a victory in the Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) at 42-1 last summer, is the 118-pound highweight. Trained by Paddy Gallagher, the 4-year-old filly won the Del Mar Oaks by two lengths. Regular rider Alex Solis will be aboard.
The Kentucky-bred daughter of Diesis was imported to the U.S. after breaking her maiden in England in November 2007. The class-dropper has competed strictly in graded competition in the U.S. for the partnership of David Bienstock, Paul Mandabach, and Charles Winner.
Magical Fantasy missed by a nose in Hollywood Park’s Senorita (gr. IIIT), her debut in this country. Following her stunner in the Del Mar Oaks, Magical Fantasy ran sixth, beaten by 4 1/2 lengths, in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup (gr. IT) at Keeneland and fourth, beaten by two, in Hollywood Park’s Matriarch (gr. IT) in her first try against older rivals. She has banked $247,431 from a career record of 2-3-0 in 11 races.
Multiple graded stakes winner Foxysoxis a 6-year-old British-bred mare who has demonstrated a fondness for Santa Anita’s turf course. Trained by Carla Gaines for Warren Williamson, Foxysox has won four times in eight starts over the Santa Anita layout. She has compiled a 6-2-4 career record in 23 starts for earnings of $621,118.
Foxysox returned from a five-month layoff Jan. 1 with a sixth-place finish in a one-mile allowance race, beaten by less than two lengths while lacking punch in the homestretch. Her last victory came four races back in April 2008 in Santa Anita’s Santa Barbara Handicap (gr. IIT). Rafael Bejarano rides.
The first four finishers from the Foxysox comeback race also show up in Tuzla — (in order) Charming Legacy, Sprung, Bahama Mamaand Storybook.
Gotta Have Hercomes off a strong runner-up showing to Vacare in the Dahlia Handicap (gr. IIT) at Hollywood Park Dec. 21, losing by one length after making a strong bid in the lane.
Grade II winner Dawn After Dawn returns from a 5 1/2-month layoff for trainer John Sadler. The 5-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal is also entered in the Sunshine Millions Distaff Jan. 24.
$100,000 Tuzla Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 8, 4:07 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 4 & Up, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Santa Teresita (KY), 115, Michael C. Baze
2. Dawn After Dawn (FL), 114, Joel Rosario
3. Trouble Maker (MD), 114, Victor Espinoza
4. Kyniska (IRE), 113, Jose Valdivia, Jr.
5. You Lift Me Up (CA), 115, Mike E. Smith
6. Gambler's Justice (CA), 113, Joseph Talamo
7. Gotta Have Her (KY), 116, Richard Migliore
8. Storybook (UAE), 113, Garrett K. Gomez
9. Sprung (KY), 114, Patrick Husbands
10. Foxysox (GB), 117, Rafael Bejarano
11. I Can See (KY), 115, Aaron T. Gryder
12. Bahama Mama (IRE), 115, David R. Flores
13. Charming Legacy, 115, Tyler Baze
14. Magical Fantasy (KY), 118, Alex O. Solis