Stakes Winner Casalu Cuts Back In Distance In Sunday’s $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes

By Jasmine Torrez —-

Casalu; Benoit Photo
STAKES WINNER CASALU CUTS BACK IN DISTANCE IN SUNDAY’S $100,000 SWEET LIFE STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES SPRINTING ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS ON HILLSIDE TURF COURSE AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 5, 2025)—Casalu, who earned her first stakes win in the Blue Norther Stakes going a mile on turf Dec. 28 at Santa Anita, will test Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course for the first time Sunday when she takes on nine rivals in the $100,000 Sweet Life Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Casalu, trained by Bob Baffert, won the Blue Norther by 1 ½ lengths over Schilflied, who also returns in the Sweet Life. Prior to the breakthrough victory, the Caracaro filly had been no worse than fourth in five consecutive stakes tries. She has never sprinted on turf.

Casalu will be ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, last year’s Eclipse Award winner as the nation’s outstanding jockey. Owned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson Paul Weitman, Casalu is 7: 2-2-1 with $174,546 in earnings.

Schilfied, trained by Patrick Gallagher, will also be trying the hillside course for the first time. After her runner-up to Casalu in the Blue Norther, Schilflied returned in a first-level allowance going a mile on turf and finished third as the favorite. Last October, Schilflied broke her maiden sprinting 6 ½ furlongs on Santa Anita’s oval turf course.

By Mendelssohn, Schilflied is 5: 1-1-1 with $61,720 in earnings for owner TCK USA. She will be ridden by Hector Berrios, who was aboard for her previous two starts.

Trainer Doug O’Neill has three entered including Going Deep and Tequilaandtherapy, a California-bred stakes winner on dirt.

Going Deep exits a front-running win against statebred allowance foes sprinting six furlongs on turf Jan. 3 at Santa Anita. The Bodexpress filly previously shipped to Zia Park and finished fourth in the Zia Park Princess Stakes sprinting six furlongs on dirt.

Going Deep will be ridden by Tyler Baze. She is 5: 2-2-0 with $95,400 in earnings for owners Todd Cady and Ty Leatherman.

Tequilaandtherapy exits a troubled third in the California Cup Oaks going a mile on turf Jan. 18 at Santa Anita. The chart notes Tequilaandtherapy had to steady at the seven-sixteenths pole and lacked racing room in upper stretch. Last year, Tequilaandtherapy was fourth in the GIII Surfer Girl going a mile on turf at Del Mar and won the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes going seven furlongs on dirt, both at Del Mar.

Tequilaandtherapy will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado, who has been aboard for her previous three starts. Owned by Here We Go Brothers, the filly by Mrazek is 8: 2-0-3 with $195,317 in earnings.

THE SWEET LIFE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

Hey Lil Lady—Mario Gutierrez—10
How About Pavel—Tiago Pereira—120
Schilflied—Hector Berrios—120
Tequilaandtherapy—Edwin Maldonado—124
Casalu—Flavien Prat—124
Practical Dream—Antonio Fresu—124
As Catch Can—Umberto Rispoli—122
Going Deep—Tyler Baze—122
Acquitted—Juan Hernandez—120
Ce La Vi Charli—Frankie Dettori—120

Sunday’s card has an early first post of 11 a.m. PT Sunday. Admission gates open at 9 a.m.