Kalypso Notches Graded Victory in Santa Ynez

Kalypso dueled early but had plenty left in the tank to secure her first graded score in the $200,500 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) Jan. 3 at Santa Anita Park. The 3-year-old Brody's Cause  filly moved up to fourth on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with the victory.

Owned by David Bernsen, Rockingham Ranch, and Chad Littlefield, Kalypso broke her maiden third time out sprinting in the Oct. 19 Anaokia Stakes at Santa Anita. After finishing second to Bob Baffert stablemate Varda in the 1 1/16-mile Starlet Stakes (G1) Dec. 5 at Los Alamitos Race Course, she returned to one turn in the seven-furlong Santa Ynez.

Sunday's effort had Baffert thinking the filly deserved another chance around two turns, which could mean another prep for the April 30 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

"I would try her long again. As they get older they are maturing," Baffert said. "You can slow her down a little bit, like today she was pretty relaxed. She wasn't too rank where she went real fast but we'll just see how they come out of it."

Kalypso has a total of 14 qualifying points for a spot in Kentucky Oaks starting gates. She picked up 10 with the Santa Ynez win and previously collected four in the Starlet.

"She has natural speed and she's a really fast filly," Baffert said. "She had the lead for a long time in the (Starlet). Backing up it's a big difference to go seven-eighths. The way she broke today, she was in a good spot and she was really training well coming into this race so it's pretty exciting that she got a win."

Kalypso broke from the outside post of six with Joel Rosario in the irons. The 4-5 favorite dueled in second on the outside of Brilliant Cut, who used her inside post position to take the lead. With a head in front, Brilliant Cut set fractions of :22.53 and :45.13 through a half-mile. Kalypso then stuck her head in front at the five-sixteenth pole and was a length in front as she ran six furlongs in 1:10.18.

Her stablemate Frosteria ranged four wide in the turn for home and was three wide down the stretch as she rallied from fifth. Rosario urged Kalypso on with a right-handed use of the whip, and as the filly pulled clear of Frosteria, he was able to ride her in hand near the wire. 

Kalypso crossed the finish line 1 3/4 lengths the best. The final time on the fast track was 1:23.42.

"She broke good and put me right into the race, in a good position," Rosario said. "I'm just happy to be on her. She was the best horse and she'll be better going longer distances."

Frosteria, Brilliant Cut, Queengol, Nasreddine, and Exotic West—Baffert's third entry—completed the order of finish. Starlet winner Varda was scratched.

Frosteria picked up four points toward the Kentucky Oaks, Brilliant Cut two, and Queengol one.

"I was disappointed in my other filly, Exotic West, to admit it," Baffert said. "She got bumped around. When the dirt hit her, she just quit running. She needed to go long anyway.

"My other filly (Frosteria) ran a good race, for a maiden, I wanted to take a chance."

Kalypso was bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift Farm, who stands Brody's Cause, out of the Malibu Moon  mare Malibu Cove. She is the second graded stakes winner from her sire's first crop, and second foal and first to race out of her dam. She has a 2-year-old half sister by Hit It a Bomb , a yearling half brother by Mor Spirit , and last year Malibu Cove was reported bred to Jimmy Creed .

Four Star Sales consigned Kalypso in 2019 to The July Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected yearling sale in Lexington, where Cool Breeze Sales, with Sweetwater Trading Co. as agent, purchased the chestnut filly for $240,000. 

Kalypso has since compiled a 2-2-1 record in five starts and has earned $245,600.

Video: Santa Ynez S. (G2)