Beautiful Gift Flies Home to Take Santa Ysabel
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Beautiful Gift wins the Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Trainer Bob Baffert already took the weekend's Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) prep race at Santa Anita Park when Life Is Good strolled home to win the March 6 San Felipe Stakes (G2) by daylight. The Hall of Famer then closed out the weekend March 7 at the Southern California track by taking the $98,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) with Beautiful Gift, who propelled her way up the leaderboard for Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) contenders.
The 1 1/16-mile Santa Ysabel was Beautiful Gift's first start since breaking her maiden second time out Oct. 23 at a mile on the same track. The Medaglia d'Oro filly, a Kentucky homebred for Charles and Susan Chu's Baoma Corporation, was third on debut Sept. 5 at Del Mar.
The Santa Ysabel only attracted five horses in the entries box—three from Baffert and two from trainer Michael McCarthy—and was down to four runners Sunday with A Real Hero scratched by McCarthy. Beautiful Gift broke from the inside post under John Velazquez and raced in third at the rail. Her stablemate Kalypso, winner of the Jan. 3 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) two starts earlier and the 3-5 favorite, had the lead by a length as she opened with a quarter-mile in :23.95. McCarthy trainee Moraz put the pressure on Kalypso as she stalked in second, and was within a half-length of the front when Kalypso posted a :48.13 half-mile.
Moraz moved up in the turn for home and was only a head shy of the pacesetter as six furlongs went in 1:12.69. She continued past Kalypso and gained a 1 1/2-length advantage down the stretch with the frontrunner failing to stay on even terms. Though the main rival was put away, Beautiful Gift came rolling down the outside. Velazquez swung her out at the top of the stretch and she found her best stride late, flying past Moraz in the shadow of the wire to win by a head.
"Bob's other horse (Kalypso) was beaten and Michael's (Moraz) was to the outside with (Umberto) Rispoli; I thought that was the horse to beat," said Velazquez, who was the regular rider aboard 2020 Horse of the Year Authentic for Baffert, "so I wanted to keep it as close as I could, so she didn't have too much to make up to the wire. I had to steady a little at the quarter pole and it took me a little more time to get her to the outside. She was full of run and I was trying to keep her from getting dirt in her face, but when Rispoli pushed Joel (Rosario aboard Kalypso) in, I had to take a hold of her. But she was able to overcome it. By the time I got her to the outside, I got her rolling and I was hoping she would get there before the wire and she did.
"I thought I (got it). I wasn't sure, don't get me wrong because Joel asked me galloping out, 'You think you go it?' I said, 'I think so man, but that was tight.'
"Thank you to Bob and the team for having me, hopefully I get more opportunities to come here."
Beautiful Gift covered the distance on the fast track in 1:44.83. She paid $8 for a $2 win ticket and increased her career earnings to $99,600.
Beautiful Gift and jockey John Velazquez return from their Santa Ysabel win
Moraz finished second 2 3/4 lengths in front of Kalypso in third. Heels Up ran fourth throughout and was eased in the stretch before walking off the track.
The four runners earned 50, 20, 10, and five points, respectively, on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Beautiful Gift now sits in fifth on the leaderboard after gaining her first points. Moraz is ninth with 22 points overall, and Kalypso is 14th with 18 points. Only 14 fillies are allowed in starting gate for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
"Well (for) Kalypso the distance has always been a little suspect," Baffert said, "but the other filly (Moraz) stayed right on top of her and didn't let her get away.
"I didn't think Johnny was going to get there and all of a sudden that mare kicked in and (Beautiful Gift) is really (good). We gave her some time; she got real light on us. The further the better for her. I didn't think she got there until I saw the super slow mo but I'm just happy that they ran well.
"Heels Up really can't go that far, we're going to keep her one turn. It's nice to get these fillies, it's all I have for the Oaks, so it's fun."
Sunday's victory marked the sixth Santa Ysabel win for Baffert, who has won the Kentucky Oaks three times, most recently in 2017 with Abel Tasman.
Beautiful Gift, the 150th black-type winner for her sire, was produced from the A.P. Indy mare Sea Gift, a winner in her lone start in England. Sea Gift was a private purchase of $450,000 by agent Donato Lanni at the 2014 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale from the Trackside Farm consignment. Prior to her sale she had produced Chitu , a 2-year-old purchase by the Chus who won the 2014 Sunland Derby (G3) and Damascus Stakes for Baffert and also placed in the Malibu (G1) and Robert B. Lewis (G2) stakes. Since Beautiful Gift, Sea Gift has produced a 2-year-old Arrogate colt named Mwari and was reported bred to Justify for 2021.