Kalypso, Moraz Top Thin Field in Santa Ysabel Stakes

Physical setbacks to Varda and Moonlight d'Oro have thinned the West Coast ranks of leading 3-year-old fillies, creating an opportunity for five entrants March 7 in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.

Reflecting the short supply of stakes-quality sophomore fillies in California, only two trainers are participating in the 1 1/16-mile race. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert starts the trio of Kalypso, Heels Up, and Beautiful Gift, while trainer Michael McCarthy runs A Real Hero and Moraz.

Kalypso and Moraz are the only runners with existing graded stakes form, second and third, respectively, behind Moonlight d'Oro n the one-mile Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Feb. 6. Kalypso, a daughter of Brody's Cause , won the seven-furlong Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) Jan. 3 there and was second to Varda in the 1 1/16-mile Starlet Stakes (G1) late last year at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Owned by David Bernsen, Rockingham Ranch, and Chad Littlefield, Kalypso appears to possess a tactical edge, being the principal speed and given the unlikelihood that fellow Baffert trainees would engage in a duel.

Kalypso also shook loose in the Las Virgenes under jockey Joel Rosario, though she was run down by a length and a half.

Don Alberto Stable's Moraz was bottled up in third in the Las Virgenes after breaking from the rail, only to remain even-paced in the stretch once securing room. She is drawn better Sunday in post 5, just outside Kalypso, leaving jockey Umberto Rispoli in a position to urge his mount to stay close to the expected leader.

The daughter of Empire Maker is 1-for-3, winning a maiden race by 11 lengths at Santa Anita between a distant third in her debut at Los Alamitos and her third in the Las Virgenes.

Kalypso is the 8-5 favorite on oddsmaker Jon White's morning line, narrowly ahead of Moraz at 9-5.

Beautiful Gift, a second-out maiden winner, is next in the anticipated wagering, a 5-2 shot with John Velazquez in the saddle. The 9-2 Heels Up, third in the Desi Arnaz, is the fourth choice under Drayden Van Dyke. Both fillies are unraced since the fall.

A Real Hero, adding blinkers after a Feb. 15 maiden victory at Golden Gate Fields in her third start, has leading rider Flavien Prat in the saddle and is 12-1.

The Santa Ysabel is a 50-20-10-5 qualifier on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Prior to this weekend's stakes action, Kalypso ranked seventh with 18 points and Moraz was 23rd with two points.

Entries: Santa Ysabel S. (G3)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, March 07, 2021, Race 4

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 2:08 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1A Real Hero (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Michael W. McCarthy	12/1
2	2Beautiful Gift (KY)	John R. Velazquez	120	Bob Baffert	5/2
3	3Heels Up (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Bob Baffert	9/2
4	4Kalypso (KY)	Joel Rosario	120	Bob Baffert	8/5
5	5Moraz (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	120	Michael W. McCarthy	9/5