Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 1 Las Virgenes Stakes comes our way from beautiful Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California this Saturday, March 2 on a day that three Grade 1 races will be staged at the California track. Three year old fillies will be featured as they go one mile on Santa Anita's dirt track in search of the winner's share of the $250,000 purse and the 50 points toward qualification in the Kentucky Oaks.
The Las Virgenes will feature a solid field of eight three year olds for race 6 on Santa Anita jammed Saturday schedule. Post time is 2:30 PM. Here is a look into the credentials of all eight entries for this important Grade 1 Stakes.
2013 Las Virgenes Stakes Race Favorites
Beholder - 2012 Eclipse Award winner as 2-year-old filly has just six career starts with three wins and two second place finishes. She won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in November for her second straight win and followed that most recently with a second as overwhelming favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez behind Renee's Titan here January 21. She has been first or second in her last five starts and will be motivated to avenge a loss to ...
Renee's Titan - Doug O'Neill trained filly is coming off an impressive and somewhat surprising win in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez last time out at 20-1 odds here January 21 after she finished sixth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet in December and second to Midnight Ballet three back in the Sharp Cat Stakes. She has two wins and two second place finishes in seven career starts but should have a little confidence after her best career performance last time out - a win over the very impressive Beholder.
Las Virgenes Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
Fiftyshadesofhay - Bob Baffert trained filly has just six career starts - four MSW races to start her career yielded a win, a second, a third and a fourth in her debut before stepping up in the minor Blue Norther Stakes here on January 1 and finishing a pedestrian eighth. Last time out was an incredible win in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel by 5 3/4 lengths here January 26 in her graded stakes debut with an impressive Beyer speed figure of 90. She was mighty impressive last time out and could duel the favorites once again in the Las Virgenes.
Heir Kitty - Peter Miller trained filly finished fifth in the Blue Norther Stakes January 1, fifth the Grade 3 Hollywood Prevue five back and fifth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante behind Executiveprivilege and Beholder in September. She had an Allowance score four back at Hollywood Park and this year she did finish a very good second in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes behind Fiftyshadesofhay here January 26 before a close third last time out in the minor Sweet Life Stakes on this track February 16.
Las Virgenes Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Scarlet Strike - Jerry Hollendorfer pupil has placed in all eight career starts - a win, three seconds and four third place finishes. Last time out was an OK third in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel here January 16 after a second by a nose in the Blue Norther Stakes and a decent third in the Grade 3 Hollywood Starlet December 8. Before that was a third in the Sharp Cat after a very nice second in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes at Santa Anita September 29 to Executiveprivilege.
Speedinthruthecity - Peter Miller trained filly has been out of action since an ugly fourteenth place finish in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland in October but had a third in the Oak Tree Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes in September to follow a second to Executiveprivilege in the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes. She also finished second in the Landaluce Stakes after a maiden win in her debut.
Ridingwiththedevil - has just one career start for trainer Mark Glatt - a second place finish in a MSW race on this track February 3. She in untested and is the long shot in this race.
Lady Asano - John Sadler filly broke maiden last time out here January 27 after an eighth place finish in her only other career start - a Maiden Claiming at Hollywood Park November 29.
