Island Fashion, smashing six-length winner of the La Brea Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park on Dec. 27, will be a heavy favorite in Sunday's $150,000 El Encino Stakes (gr. II), second leg of the La Canada series for 4-year-old fillies.The final leg is the $200,000 La Canada Stakes (gr. II) at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 14. Only three fillies have won the prestigious series: Taisez Vous in 1978; Mitterand in 1985; and Got Koko last year. Island Fashion, a gray 4-year-old daughter of the promising young sire Petionville, was thought to be worthy of Eclipse Award consideration by her trainer, 43-year-old Marcelo Polanco of Chile, but the Kentucky-bred was not among the three finalists. Prior to her La Brea victory, she won the Alabama (gr. I) at Saratoga last August; the Delaware Oaks (gr. II) in July; and the WinStar Oaks in March. She has a 4-1-0 record from 10 starts with earnings of $1,112,970.Island Fashion carries high weight of 122 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile El Encino.Island Fashion's main competition in the El Encino could come sources: Victory Encounter, a streaking daughter of 1998 Belmont Stakes winner Victory Speech, and Personal Legend, from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel.Victory Encounter has won five of seven career starts and four of five since being claimed by trainer John Sadler for $32,000 last April. Personal Legend, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Awesome Again owned by Edmund Gann, was second by a nose in the Dahlia Handicap (gr. IIT) on turf at Hollywood Park last Dec. 20. This will mark her first start on the main track after seven consecutive turf races.Voodoo's Sister will run coupled with Island Fashion as an entry for owner Jeffrey Nielsen, who races as Everest Stables, Inc.
$150,000 El Encino Stakes (gr. II), 4-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 mile
1. (a)Voodoo's Sister, Jose Valdivia Jr., 115
2. (a)Island Fashion, Kent Desormeaux, 122
3. Sea Jewel, Pat Valenzuela, 115
4. Hope Rises, David Flores, 115
5. Victory Encounter, Mike Smith, 117
6. Cat Fighter, Ryan Fogelsonger, 115
7. Gone Exclusive, Gary Stevens, 115
8. Personal Legend, Alex Solis, 115
(a) Everest Stables entry
