Santa Anita: Sunday Stakes Previews

By Victor Ryan —-

MUSICAL MISCHIEF IS AMONG A TRIO OF GRADED WINNERS SIGNED ON FOR SUNDAY’S GRADE III, $100,000 LA CANADA STAKES FOR FILLIES AND MARES GOING 1 1/16 MILES AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 13, 2025)—Three graded stakes winners—Musical Mischief, Alpha Bella and Chatalas—plus upstart Cavalieri are among a competitive group of fillies and mares set go in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 La Canada Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.

Musical Mischief is back in Southern California after spending the majority of 2024 with trainer Michael McCarthy’s string in Kentucky. In September, she won the GII Locust Grove at Churchill Downs going 1 1/16 miles. Then she tried the 1 1/8-mile GIII Falls City, also at Churchill Downs, on Nov. 28 and finished sixth when catching a muddy track.

In last year’s La Canada, Musical Mischief finished fourth before relocating to the Midwest. Umberto Rispoli was aboard in last year’s La Canada and the 36-year-old Italian has the call again this time around. A 5-year-old mare by Into Mischief, Musical Mischief is 13: 4-2-1 with $518,776 in earnings for owner Wathnan Racing.

Alpha Bella returns to action following a freshening for trainer John Sadler and owner-breeder Don Alberto Stable. The 5-year-old Justify mare closed out 2024 with consecutive runner-up finishes in the GII Zenyatta at Santa Anita in September and the GIII Bayakoa at Del Mar on Nov. 2.

Alpha Bella will be ridden by Eclipse Award-finalist Flavien Prat. She has a record of 18: 3-6-2 with $455,615 in earnings.

Chatalas, trained by Mark Glatt, won the GII Chandelier at Santa Anita as a 2-year-old and last year added a win in the GIII Indiana Oaks at Indiana Grand in July. The 4-year-old Gun Runner filly most recently tried turf in the GI American Oaks on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita and never threatened when finishing eighth.

Chatalas has a record of 10: 3-1-2 with $393,670 in earnings for owner-breeder Dan J. Agnew, Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners and William Chatalas. She will be reunited with jockey Antonio Fresu, who was previously aboard for her wins in the Chandelier and American Oaks.

Cavalieri is an ascending 4-year-old for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Speedway Stable. She won her debut going a mile in front-running fashion at Del Mar in August and came right back to dominate allowance foes going a mile at Santa Anita on Oct. 12. The runner-up that day, Jubilant Joanie, came back to win her next start.

By Nyquist, Cavalieri will have regular rider Juan Hernandez in the irons.

THE GIII LA CANADA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

Alpha Bella – Flavien Prat – 124
Chatalas – Antonio Fresu – 124
Che Evasora – Tiago Pereira – 124
Musical Mischief – Umberto Rispoli – 124
Big Hug – Mike Smith – 122
Cavalieri – Juan Hernandez – 120

TOUPIE COMES WEST SEEKING MORE SUCCESS ON SANTA ANITA’S HILLSIDE TURF COURSE IN SUNDAY’S GRADE III, $100,000 LAS CIENEGAS STAKES FOR FILLIES AND MARES

ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 13, 2025)—Eastern-based Toupie, who shipped west for trainer Graham Motion and took down the Unzip Me Stakes in September, returns seeking another stakes win on Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Las Cienegas for fillies and mares going about 6 ½ furlongs.

Toupie won the Unzip Me for 3-year-old fillies going gate-to-wire under Flavien Prat in her first and only start on the hillside turf. She next ran at Aqueduct on Nov. 8 against older horses and checked in fourth in the Autumn Days Stakes going six furlongs on turf. Prat again has the call in the Las Cienegas.

By Uncle Mo, Toupie races as a homebred for Wertheimer and Frere. She is 10: 4-2-1 with $311,775 in earnings.

Laulne returns from an eight-month layoff for trainer Phil D’Amato. Prior to being sidelined, Laulne won the Angles Flight sprinting on the hillside turf course in April and was third in the GIII Senorita over the same layout in May. Both starts came under Antonio Fresu, who will again be in the saddle.

A 4-year-old filly by Starspangledbanner, Laulne was bred in France where she was Group II-placed. She is campaigned domestically by Madaket Stables, Panic Stables, Gerard Augustin-Normand et al. Laulne has a record of 9: 4-1-3 with $192,772 in earnings.

Just Nails seeks a breakthrough stakes win for trainer Doug O’Neill. During the Del Mar fall meet, Just Nails was beaten just a neck in the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes then was a close-up fourth in the Stormy Liberal, both sprinting five furlongs on turf. She will be reunited Sunday with jockey Edwin Maldonado, who piloted Just Nails to a dominant allowance win sprinting down the hill in October.

A 6-year-old Twirling Candy mare, Just Nails is 14: 3-7-0 with $256,220 in earnings for owners Button Stable and George Hicker.

Miss Lizzy returns to the hillside turf course where she is 5: 2-2-1, which includes a win in the Mizdirection Stakes in May. Also trained by O’Neill, Miss Lizzy most recently finished off the board in a pair of restricted stakes going a mile on turf, the Osunitas at Del Mar in July and the Swingtime at Santa Anita in October.

A 5-year-old mare by Classic Empire, Miss Lizzy will have Frankie Dettori aboard for the first time. She has a record of 21: 5-5-3 overall with $268,768 in earnings for owners Glenn Sorgenstein, WC Racing Inc. and Wonderland Racing Stables.

THE GIII LAS CIENEGAS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 11 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

Just Nails – Edwin Maldonado – 120
Nadette – Juan Hernandez – 124
Anywho – Hector Berrios – 120
Laulne – Antonio Fresu – 124
Ma Rae’s Girl – Kazushi Kimura – 120
Toupie – Flavien Prat – 122
Hamwood Flier – Mike Smith – 122
Vitalera – Tyler Baze –120
Miss Lizzy – Umberto Rispoli – 122

First post Sunday is 11:30 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 9:30 a.m.

About The Stronach Group
The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The Stronach Group’s 1/ST business (pronounced “First”) is North America’s preeminent Thoroughbred racing and pari-mutuel wagering company and includes the 1/ST RACING & GAMING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY and 1/ST EXPERIENCE businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING & GAMING drives the best-in-class racing operations and gaming offerings at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park – home of The California Crown and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup and Palm Meadows Thoroughbred Training Center (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, The Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the operating group for 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, TSG Global Wagering Solutions (GWS) and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is racing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST EXPERIENCE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality through innovative content development, elevated national and local venue management and hospitality, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and procurement development. As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred racing on and off the track. The Stronach Group’s TSG Properties is responsible for the development of the company’s live, play and work communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland).
For more information, visit www.1st.com or follow @1ST_racing on Twitter or @1stracing on Instagram and Facebook.

Facebook
Twitter