Under the Stars Shines Brightly in Santa Ynez
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Under the Stars breaks her maiden at Los Alamitos Race Course
Last week, some of the principals in Coolmore, trainer Bob Baffert, and jockey Flavien Prat teamed to win the La Canada Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park with the talented older mare As Time Goes By . Now, they'll look to continue their stakes success with a 3-year-old filly when Under the Stars represents them in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Jan. 8.
The Santa Ynez is a seven-furlong dash but an official prep on the Churchill Downs' Road to the Kentucky Oaks, offering qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to its top four finishers. Baffert trainees are ineligible for points, owing to Churchill Downs Inc. suspending him from its tracks through mid-2023.
Under the Stars, owned by the Coolmore-affiliated Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, took three starts to pick up her first victory but did so with style in a Dec. 11 race at Los Alamitos Race Course. Fifth early, she overtook her foes in the stretch to win by three lengths, running six furlongs in 1:09.16.
Her victory earned her a 95 Equibase Speed Figure and similarly quick numbers with other speed figures and performance figures that account for weight and ground loss.
Prior to that victory, she had twice been third, first in a maiden race at Santa Anita Oct. 31 and then a couple of weeks later in the Nov. 13 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar.
Bred by Eaton, Under the Stars is by Pioneerof the Nile and out of the Storm Cat mare Untouched Talent , a grade 3 winner who placed in both the 2006 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) and the Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G2).
Untouched Talent has equally excelled as a broodmare, producing 2012 Arkansas Derby (G1) winner and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) runner-up Bodemeister and the grade 1-placed Fascinating and stakes-placed Himiko .
Under the Stars, who bids to give Baffert his seventh Santa Ynez victory and third straight in the race, breaks from the rail.
George Krikorian's homebred Big Switch is also fast, having earned a 91 Equibase Speed Figure in winning the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes Presented by PNC at Del Mar Nov. 5. She raced seven furlongs in 1:22.39, pulling clear late over a strung-out field of California-breds.
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The daughter of Mr. Big , out of the Malibu Moon mare Two Faced Moon , had previously won on debut at Del Mar Aug. 20 for trainer John Sadler. She is a half sister to stakes winner Hollywood Hills , who also placed in a grade 3.
John Velazquez rides from post 3.
The two other sophomore fillies with stakes experience are Scott Herbertson's Mimajoon (Fed Biz ) and Reddam Racing's Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist ). Mimajoon captured the Golden Gate Debutante Stakes in her last start and is the likely Santa Ynez pacesetter for trainer Jonathan Wong. Awake At Midnyte is a twice-raced filly who defeated Under the Stars in her debut at Santa Anita Oct. 31 and then ran second in the Jimmy Durante Stakes (G3T) on turf at Del Mar Nov. 27 for trainer Doug O'Neill.
Big Shamrock and Miss Mattie B complete the field.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 08, 2022, Race 8Entries: Santa Ynez S. (G2)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Under the Stars (KY)
Flavien Prat
120
Bob Baffert
8/5
2
2Big Shamrock (CA)
Abel Cedillo
120
Dan Blacker
20/1
3
3Big Switch (CA)
John R. Velazquez
122
John W. Sadler
9/5
4
4Mimajoon (FL)
Kyle Frey
122
Jonathan Wong
10/1
5
5Awake At Midnyte (KY)
Mario Gutierrez
120
Doug F. O'Neill
3/1
6
6Miss Mattie B (KY)
Mike E. Smith
120
Robert B. Hess, Jr.
5/1
