Varda, Kalypso Among Four for Baffert in Santa Ynez

In a race that underscores the depth and quality of Bob Baffert's stable, the Hall of Fame trainer has four of the seven entrants in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) for 3-year-old fillies Jan. 3 at Santa Anita Park. The quartet is led by the 1-2 finishers from the Starlet Stakes (G1), Varda and Kalypso.

Although outrun by Varda in the Starlet, Kalypso is the 5-2 morning-line favorite after a cut back in distance from 1 1/16 miles to race seven furlongs on Sunday. She is already a stakes winner over a sprint, having captured the Anoakia Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita in the fall going six furlongs. Overall, the newly turned 3-year-old daughter of Brody's Cause  is 1-2-1 from four starts with earnings of $125,600 for owners David Bernsen, Rockingham Ranch, and Chad Littlefield.

Joel Rosario will be aboard the filly, who races without blinkers for the first time in her career. She breaks from the outside post.

Baoma Corporation's Varda, a daughter of Distorted Humor  who rallied from last to defeat Kalypso by 1 1 /2 lengths in the Starlet at Los Alamitos Race Course, will need to get in gear a little earlier to score a repeat victory over a shorter trip. She did win her only prior sprint, an Aug. 30 maiden race at Del Mar going six furlongs, which preceded a runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.

Varda swooped to victory at 17-1 odds in the Starlet after her heavily favored stablemate, Princess Noor, was pulled up with a career-ending soft-tissue injury after taking the lead leaving the second turn.

Regular rider Drayden Van Dyke will return aboard the 3-1 second choice on the morning-line.

Video: Starlet S. (G1)

Baffert's other starters are Gary and Mary West's Exotic West, a debut winner at Del Mar Nov. 21, and Godolphin's Frosteria, who has been second in all three of her starts, most recently in a swift mile maiden race at Los Alamitos behind the promising Moonlight d'Oro.

Baffert is a five-time winner of the Santa Ynez, capturing it most recently in 2020 with Bast for Baoma Corporation.

The John Sadler-trained Queengol, second as the 5-2 favorite to Kalypso two starts back in the Anoakia and most recently a well-beaten second in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 14, also looms a threat, as does the Michael McCarthy-trained Nasreddine, third in the Starlet.

"She's shortening up a little bit," McCarthy said. "I thought she was a little even through the lane in the Starlet, but I'm looking for this to help her out."

The field is completed by Brilliant Cut, claimed by trainer Doug O'Neill from a maiden $50,000 race that she took at Del Mar Nov. 20.

As a designated prep on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks, the Santa Ynez offers qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis to its first four finishers. None of the seven 3-year-olds will race with the diuretic Lasix, per rules for stakes races in California.

Entries: Santa Ynez S. (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, January 03, 2021, Race 8

• Grade II
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:05 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Brilliant Cut (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	120	Doug F. O'Neill	15/1
2	2Nasreddine (KY)	Tiago Josue Pereira	120	Michael W. McCarthy	6/1
3	3Exotic West (KY)	Abel Cedillo	120	Bob Baffert	3/1
4	4Queengol (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	John W. Sadler	4/1
5	5Varda (NY)	Drayden Van Dyke	124	Bob Baffert	3/1
6	6Frosteria (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	Bob Baffert	5/1
7	7Kalypso (KY)	Joel Rosario	122	Bob Baffert	5/2