As Time Goes By Faces Upstart Challenger in La Canada
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Photo: Benoit Photo
As Time Goes By draws clear in the Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course
By the end of the Jan. 1 $200,000 La Canada Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, there could be an emerging star arising off the California coast in the form of Hronis Racing's Park Avenue . The 1 1/16-mile race is the first graded stakes test for fillies and mares aged 4-years-old and up of the new year.
Despite failing in her first four attempts at finding the winner's circle, Park Avenue has been flawless since breaking her maiden in a five-length romp Oct. 29 at Santa Anita. The daughter of Quality Road followed up that score with another nearly identical effort in a one-mile allowance optional claiming contest at Los Alamitos Race Course Dec. 12, handily defeating the opposing Fi Fi Pharoah in the process.
Trained by John Sadler, Park Avenue has recorded a series of sizzling breezes dating back to November. In her second drill back from her last race, the bay last rattled off five furlongs in a sharp 1:00 over the Santa Anita main track Dec. 27, the seventh fastest of 111 works that day.
She retains the services of jockey Juan Hernandez in her stakes debut.
It wouldn't be a stakes race in Southern California without at least one entry from the Bob Baffert barn, and the trainer sends out two for the La Canada, including the morning-line favorite As Time Goes By .
Owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith of Coolmore, the soon-to-be 5-year-old As Time Goes By had compiled a respectable résumé coming into this year's Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1). The American Pharoah filly had collected two graded stakes victories at Santa Anita this past spring in the Santa Margarita (G2) and Santa Maria (G2) in addition to a runner-up finish behind Swiss Skydiver in the Beholder Mile (G1).
After an uninspiring effort in the Breeders' Cup, As Time Goes By returned to the work tab and rebounded with a decisive triumph in the Dec. 5 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) at Los Alamitos Race Course. Finishing third that day was fellow La Canada contender and Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) victress Moonlight d'Oro , who was making her second start off a nine-month layoff.
Following the Bayakoa, Baffert indicated that a 2022 campaign would be imminent for As Time Goes By.
"I've always been high on her," said Baffert. "I'd really like to win a grade 1 with her and I know she can. The owners said if she's doing well they will keep her in training.''
Flavien Prat will be back aboard As Time Goes By as the pair breaks from the far outside post.
Baffert's other La Canada entrant is Sarah Kelly and Jane Wiltz's Velvet Slippers . The lightly raced Quality Road filly soundly defeated Park Avenue by four lengths when capturing a Sept. 2 maiden special weight at Del Mar. Wheeled back two weeks later, she then just missed in the Dark Mirage Stakes at Los Alamitos after an erratic stretch duel with Samurai Charm.
Velvet Slippers, to be piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez on Saturday, was a game winner of an allowance optional claimer in her most recent start Nov. 19.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 01, 2022, Race 9Entries: La Canada S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Moonlight d'Oro (KY)
Mike E. Smith
122
Richard E. Mandella
3/1
2
2Cowboys Daughter (KY)
Kyle Frey
120
Reid France
10/1
3
3Fi Fi Pharoah (CA)
UMBERTO RISPOLI
120
Walther Solis
10/1
4
4Velvet Slippers (KY)
John R. Velazquez
120
Bob Baffert
5/2
5
5Park Avenue (KY)
Juan J. Hernandez
120
John W. Sadler
3/1
6
6As Time Goes By (KY)
Flavien Prat
122
Bob Baffert
8/5
