The $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) at Santa Anita, postponed Jan. 5 due to the unsafe condition of the course's new Cushion Track following a powerful storm, returns with its original field of 3-year-old fillies intact Jan. 13.
Santa Anita halted racing for three consecutive stormy days Jan. 5-7 due to drainage problems with its synthetic racing surface. The revised schedule has three graded stakes on the 11-race program Jan. 13, all for fillies -- the 1 1/16-mile Santa Ysabel, the $150,000 Santa Ynez (gr. II), also for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs, and the $150,000 El Encino (gr. II) for 4-year-olds over 1 1/16 miles.
Trainer Bobby Frankel’s Turn Away remains the likely favorite among six entrants in the Santa Ysabel. The Juddmonte Farms’ Kentucky-bred daughter of Empire Maker won her first start, a seven-furlong maiden race at Churchill Downs on Oct. 28, by 9 1/4 lengths before finishing third at even-money in Churchill’s Golden Rod Stakes (gr. II).
Frankel was disappointed that Turn Away didn't win the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod. Turn Away stumbled at the start but recovered to race in contention before having to steady in traffic at the three-sixteenths pole. She wound up 2 3/4 lengths behind the winning Pure Clan.
Rafael Bejarano, aboard for both previous races on Turn Away, rides her once more.
Initiation won the Glorious Song Stakes in Canada for trainer Graham Motion in November and is the only Santa Ysabel entrant to have defeated winners.
The Augustin Stable-owned daughter of Deputy Minister has been training at Hollywood Park for the past month following her come-from-behind 1 1/4-length win in Woodbine's seven-furlong Glorious Song Nov. 18.
Initiation is to carry 120 pounds in her graded stakes debut, six more than her rivals, and will be ridden for the first time by Julien Leparoux.
The Kentucky-bred chestnut has won two of her three starts, including a six-furlong debut win over maidens by 10 lengths at Laurel Park Sept. 5. She followed that effort one month later with her only previous route try, finishing fourth while racing wide in the 1 1/16-mile Darley Alcibiades (gr. I) over Keeneland's Polytrack.
Initiation and Turn Away could find themselves on the lead in what shapes up as a race lacking pace.
Grace Anatomy's fortunes have taken a downturn for trainer Doug O'Neill since she finished third in the Alcibiades in just her third start. She had a rough trip in the Grey Goose Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) in the slop at Monmouth Park, finishing seventh, 18 lengths behind the victorious Indian Blessing. She then returned to beat just one while coming home eighth, 12 lengths behind the Frankel's Country Star in the 1 1/16-mile Hollywood Starlet (gr. I) Dec. 15.
O'Neill adds blinkers for the daughter of Aldebaran and switches to jockey Garrett Gomez.
Final Fling was a seven-furlong maiden winner by a head over California breds as the 11-10 favorite in her last race Dec. 21 at Hollywood Park.
Kazamira defeated Final Fling by three-quarters of a length in a maiden race at seven furlongs at Hollywood Nov. 24, but the John Shirreffs trainee has not been out since. Owned by Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Moss, Kazamira has had two starts, finishing third in her debut in September. The Kentucky bred is by Dynaformer out of the Conquistador Cielo filly Proper Cielo.
Supplemented to the Santa Ysabel was Everest Stables' homebred Rareville, a maiden with two lifetime starts, both on turf.
$100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III, Race 5, 1:45 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Grace Anatomy (KY), 114, Garrett K. Gomez
2. Kazamira (KY), 114, Mike E. Smith
3. Turn Away (KY), 114, Rafael Bejarano
4. Rareville (KY), 114, Alonso Quinonez
5. Final Fling (CA), 114, Joseph Talamo
6. Initiation (KY), 120, Julien R. Leparoux
Initiation, winning the Glorious Song at Woodbine, drew post 6 for the rescheduled Santa Ysabel (gr. III).
