2016 Rodeo Drive Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes takes place this Saturday, October 1 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A purse of $300,000 will be on the line for fillies and mares three years old and upward willing to go 1 1/4 miles on Santa Anita's turf track.

A full field of 14 have been confirmed for the Rodeo Drive Stakes - race 8 on Santa Anita's packed Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:00 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 14 combatants for this Grade 1 stakes.

2016 Rodeo Drive Stakes Race Preview at Santa Anita Park

Zipessa 7-2 - has eight career starts for trainer Michael Stidham with four wins and two third place finishes. Last time out was an OK third in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington August 13 after a good win in the Grade 3 Dr. James Penny Memorial Stakes at Parx July 4 and a third in the Grade 3 Mint Julep Stakes at Churchill Downs June 11. She also had a fourth in the Grade 2 Churchill Downs Turf Mile May 7, an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Fair Grounds in March and an eighth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks last August. Zipessa has been decent lately and hopes for her second graded stakes score in her last three starts overall. Florent Geroux has been tabbed to ride the tepid morning line favorite from gate 12.

Elektrum 5-1 - Irish bred John Sadler trained mare won the 2015 Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar August 8 and went on to a second in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita September 26. She has been OK lately as well - three straight third place finishes ahead of this weekend. Last time out was in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar September 4 after the minor Osunitas Stakes on that track August 7 and the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes here May 30. Before that was a disappointing seventh in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine here May 5, a runner-up finish as 5-2 favorite in the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar November 21 and a fourth as even money favorite in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes also at Del Mar November 1. Elektrum has four wins, six seconds and five third place finishes in 22 career starts and looks to snap a string of thirds from post 13. Victor Espinoza has the mount on the second betting choice.

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Avenge 6-1 - Richard Mandella trained filly has 11 career starts with five wins and a third place finish. She has looked good lately - a win last time out in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar September 4 followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track in July. She failed to place in her prior three starts but had an OK win in the minor Ultrafleet Stakes on this track before that. Avenge arrives in career best form and will have Flavien Prat aboard the intriguing morning line third choice from gate 4 Saturday.

Sabradora Inc 6-1 - Argentinean bred Simon Callaghan trained filly has been impressive in her five race career - five straight wins to start including a pair of Group 1 races and a Group 3 stakes at home. She debuted in North America August 7 and won the minor Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar but stumbled last time out to a fifth in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes on that track September 4. Sabradora Inc looks to avenge her only career loss and channel her early-career form when she departs from an unfavorable outside gate 14 with Rafael Bejarano aboard.

Frenzified 10-1 - British bred James Cassidy trained filly has five wins, a second and three third place finishes in 14 career starts. She was OK at home and has improved every time out in her three North American starts. Last time out was a win in the minor CTT and TOC Handicap at Del Mar August 19 after a second and a third respectively in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races - one coming on this track. Frenzified makes her graded/group stakes debut from gate 2 Saturday in so-so form and will leave from gate 2 with Santiago Gonzalez aboard.

Nancy From Nairobi 10-1 - John Sadler trained British bred mare has five wins, six seconds and a third place finishes in 25 career starts. She started her career in Europe and was OK before debuting in North America with a second place finish in an Allowance Optional Claiming here December 30. She enters off a disappointing eleventh in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar September 4 after an OK third in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes on that track July 16, a, fourth, 2 1/2 lengths behind in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita May 30 and a good three race win streak - the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes May 5 and two Allowance Optional Claiming races - all at Santa Anita. Nancy From Nairobi looks for a strong bounce back and to snap a three race losing streak from gate 10 Saturday. Mike Smith will be in the reins.

Decked Out 12-1 - Keith Desormeaux trained filly has two wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in 14 career starts. She enters off an OK second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks August 20 after a disappointing ninth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational July 9 and consecutive fourths - in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita June 19 and in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes on that track May 7. Before that was a career best effort - a 2 3/4 length win after racing in last in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita April 9. Decked out had four graded stakes starts earlier in her career with a third in the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes in July, 2015 being the best result. She has placed in just one of her last four overall (last time out) and will look to build on that effort from post 11 with Kent Desormeaux in the reins.

Majestic Heat 12-1 - Richard Mandella trained filly made her stakes debut last August 15, 2015 and finished fifth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks and followed that with a fourth as favorite in an Allowance Optional Claiming also at Del Mar September 5. She has just two starts since - both wins. Last time out was in the minor Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar August 14 after her Allowance Optional Claiming score here June 17 and eight months away from the track. Majestic Heat now has four wins and a second place finish in nine career starts and enters in career-best form. Gary Stevens has been tabbed to ride from post 7.

Generosidade 12-1 - started her career in Uruguay and France where she posted four wins, two seconds and two third place finishes including a win in Brazilian Group 1 race in May, 2013. She has eight North American starts - she failed to place in her first three but has looked better in his last five. Last time out was a second in the minor CTT and TOC Handicap at Del Mar August 19 after a third in the minor Belmont Coronation Invitational June 9, a seventh in the Grade 3 Bewitch Stakes April 29, a second in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes April 10 and a good win at 71-1 odds in the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Stakes - both at Santa Anita. Generosidade seems to be over an unflattering stretch and could, based on prior races, be a factor. Tiago Josue Pereira has the mount from post 9.

Keri Belle 15-1 - John Shirreffs trained mare has 17 career starts with four wins, two seconds and two place finishes. She enters off a fourth in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar September 4, a sixth in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes in that track in July, another fourth, 1 3/4 lengths back in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita May 30, a disappointing eighth in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes May 5, a respectable third in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes February 20 and a good win in the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at Santa Anita at 12-1 odds January 18. Keri Belle has been a tad tough to figure out and has failed to place in her last four starts overall. Norberto Arroyo has been tabbed with changing Keri Belle's fortunes around from the rail.

Real Smart 15-1 - Graham Motion trained filly has three wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in 10 career starts. She enters off a disappointing ninth in the Grade 3 Waya Stakes at Saratoga August 6 which followed a terrific breakthrough win in the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park in July. Before that was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming June 10 and a win by 2 3/4 lengths in a similar race in her North American debut May 13 - both at Belmont Park. Real Smart has been a tad tough to figure out but will be after a strong bounce back Saturday. Drayden Van Dyke has been tabbed to ride from post 5.

Tiz a Kiss 20-1 - has 20 career starts for trainer Richard Baltas with four wins, six seconds and a third place finish. She enters off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Del Mar September 1 after a second in the minor Solana Beach Stakes on that track August 14, a fifth in the minor Dream of Summer Stakes here March 27, a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming March 10 and an eighth in her only graded stakes action to date - the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes here in January. Tiz a Kiss has been OK against lesser company but shoots for her first ever stakes win from gate 6. Joe Talamo gets the call.

Queen of the Sand 20-1 - has 32 career starts for trainer Patrick Gallagher with eight wins, five seconds and three third place finishes - a win and three runner-up finishes in nine starts last year. She won the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita in April, 2015 and has been up and down since. She has failed to place in her last three starts ahead of this weekend - a seventh last time out in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar September 4 followed a fifth in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap on that track July 16 and a fourth in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes in November and also recorded consecutive seconds last summer - the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes in August and the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes in June. Queen of The Sand has placed in just one of her last six starts overall ahead of this weekend - not all that impressive but tries to change all of that around from post 3. Brice Blanc rides.

Fresh Feline 20-1 - John Sherreffs trained mare made her stakes debut December 27 and finished seventh in the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes here and followed that with a fourth in the minor Astra Stakes January 7 and a respectable third in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes March 26 - all at Santa Anita. She has two starts since with varying results - an ugly twelfth last time out in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar September 4 followed a respectable second in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes on that track July 16. Fresh Feline has placed in two of her last three starts and looks just OK ahead of this weekend. She tries for her first stakes score from gate 8 Saturday with Chantal Sutherland guiding her.

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2016 Rodeo Drive Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 8 on Santa Anita's Saturday card with a Post Time of 7:00 PM.