Under the Stars, Ganadora Head Rain-Postponed La Canada

After finishing off the board in the seven-furlong La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park Dec. 26, Bob Baffert trainees Under the Stars  and Ganadora  stretch out to two turns and receive class relief Jan. 15 in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles. 

The race, originally scheduled Jan. 14, was redrawn and delayed a day due to anticipated rain in Southern California that resulted in the cancellation of racing Saturday at Santa Anita.

Ganadora, a $1 million auction purchase by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni from the Gainesway consignment to the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, attended a sharp opening half-mile of :44.80 in the La Brea before fading to fifth under John Velazquez. Two starts back, the 4-year-old Quality Road   filly went two turns in the one-mile Dark Mirage Stakes Sept. 18 at Los Alamitos Race Course and romped by eight lengths. The lightly raced Ganadora sports a record of 3-0-0 in five starts for owner Baoma Corp.  

Under the Stars was the more fancied of these two Baffert runners in the La Brea but was never a factor. The 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile  filly stalked the pace along the inside under Flavien Prat before weakening to finish last of seven. Leading rider Juan Hernandez will be reunited Sunday with Under the Stars.    

Under the Stars, twice a grade 2 winner in 2022, has a record of 3-2-2 in 10 starts and earnings of $357,520 for Coolmore-affiliated owners Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier, and Derrick Smith.  

Kirstenbosch  finished ahead of both Ganadora and Under the Stars when rallying for third in the La Brea. Trained by John Sadler, the 4-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute   was last after the opening half-mile but ran on late to just edge favorite Midnight Memories  for show. Jockey Kazushi Kimura was aboard for the first time in the La Brea and retains the mount Sunday on the rail-drawn filly. 

English-bred Natural Colour  lures Prat to ride for the first time following a second-place finish in the Miss America Stakes on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate Fields Dec. 11. This will be the first start on dirt for the 5-year-old daughter of Exceed And Excel , who last year tallied turf stakes victories in both the Luther Burbank Handicap at Santa Rosa and Golden Gate Fields Turf Distaff Stakes. Natural Colour is owned by Ronald Charles and Samuel Gordon and trained by Manuel Badilla. 

Kicking off the Sunday card at Santa Anita is a $67,000 maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs headed by $3.5 million juvenile purchase Hejazi . The Zedan Racing Stables-owned 3-year-old Bernardini  colt was twice second in maiden races last summer at Del Mar before finishing third in the American Pharoah Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita in his last start Oct. 8. Mike Smith rides from post 1 for Baffert.

Baffert also starts second-time starter Worchester  in the sprint after the Empire Maker colt ran fourth, beaten 6 1/4 lengths in a fast race, in his initial start Dec. 26.

Sully , fourth in his debut as well, is another race 1 contender for owner C R K Stable and trainer John Shirreffs. 

Entries: La Canada S. (G3)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, January 15, 2023, Race 7

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:29 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Kirstenbosch (KY)	Kazushi Kimura	120	John W. Sadler	5/2
2	2Angel Nadeshiko (KY)	Victor Espinoza	120	Patrick Gallagher	6/1
3	3Ganadora (KY)	John R. Velazquez	122	Bob Baffert	2/1
4	4Smoothlikebuttah (CA)	Tiago Josue Pereira	120	Steve R. Knapp	10/1
5	5Natural Colour (GB)	Flavien Prat	122	Manuel Badilla	5/1
6	6Under the Stars (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	124	Bob Baffert	5/2