2023 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita Park

Bob Baffert's Under the Stars and Ganadora, after finishing off the board in the Grade I La Brea Stakes going seven furlongs on opening day December 26, will stretch out to two turns and receive class relief in Santa Anita Park's Grade 3, La Canada Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Saturday, January 14.

Ganadora, a $1 million auction purchase as a yearling, attended a sharp opening half mile of 44.2 seconds in the La Brea before fading to fifth under John Velazquez. Two starts back, the 4-year-old Quality Road filly went two turns in the one-mile Dark Mirage at Los Alamitos and romped by eight lengths on Sept. 18. The lightly raced Ganadora sports a record of 5-3-0-0 for owner Baoma Corp.

Under the Stars was the more fancied of these two Baffert runners in the La Brea but was never a factor. The 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile filly stalked the pace along the inside under Flavien Prat before dropping anchor and finishing last of seven. With Prat landing on Natural Colour in the La Canada, Santa Anita's leading rider Juan Hernandez will be reunited with Under the Stars on Saturday.

Under the Stars, twice a Grade II winner in 2022, has a record of 3-2-2 in 10 starts and earnings of $357,520 for owners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith.

Kristenbosch finished ahead of both Ganadora and Under the Stars when rallying for third in the La Brea. Trained by John Sadler, the 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute was last after the opening half mile but ran on late to just edge favorite Midnight Memories for the show dough. Jockey Kazushi Kimura was aboard for the first time in the La Brea and retains the mount on Saturday.

English-bred Natural Colour lures Prat to ride for the first time following a second-place finish in the Miss America Stakes on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 11. This will be the first start on dirt for the 5-year-old daughter of Exceed and Excel, who last year tallied turf stakes victories in both the Luther Burbank at Santa Rosa and Golden Gate Fields Turf Distaff. Natural Colour is owned by Ronald Charles and Samuel Gordon.

FEMALE ROUTERS TAKE CENTER STAGE IN 2023 LA CANADA

JAN 8 - After two blockbuster weekends of high-class action at Santa Anita, the lone stakes at The Great Race Place next week is the Grade III, $200,000 La Canada for older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles.

There were 13 horses nominated to the La Canada including six who are exiting the Grade I La Brea going seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Dec. 26. In the La Brea, Bob Baffert's Fun to Dream earned her third win in a row when edging Doug O'Neill's Awake at Midnyte by three-quarters of a length. Kristenbosch was third for trainer John Sadler while Midnight Memories, the La Brea favorite for Baffert, checked in fourth. All are nominated to the La Canada.

Among the potential new shooters are Chancery Way, who is exiting a restricted stakes win at Golden Gate for trainer Jamey Thomas; and Anacapa, a sharp allowance winner going two turns at Del Mar two starts back for trainer Carla Gaines.Anacapa would be wheeling back on short rest as she was cut back to seven furlongs for the Grade III Las Flores on Dec. 31 and finished seventh.

The La Canada along with the rest of Saturday's card will be drawn on Wednesday.

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