Faiza, Newgrange Excel in Graded Action at Santa Anita
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Faiza holds off Pride of the Nile in the Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Faiza , in only three starts, is proving a determined filly. Though her debut resulted in an easy victory, she has had to fend off Pride of the Nile in both of her graded attempts. In Faiza's latest, she stubbornly remained a half-length in front of Pride of the Nile at the finish line in the $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Jan. 28 at Santa Anita Park to keep her record perfect.
Bob Baffert, who trains Faiza and was at Oaklawn Park to saddle Arabian Knight in the Southwest Stakes (G3), captured his seventh Las Virgenes and his first consecutive double in the race. Baffert also won with Adare Manor in 2022, and his success in the race dates back to Excellent Meeting in 1999. Like Adare Manor, Faiza is owned by Michael Lund Petersen.
Faiza, ridden by Ramon Vazquez for the first time, tracked pacesetter Sweet Trouble and Broadway Girls in the early going of the one-mile Las Virgenes. Sitting just outside of those two, Faiza was perfectly placed to make a move on the turn to take the lead turning for home.
"I wanted to get out in the clear and put my filly in a good position," Vazquez said. "She's a nice filly—when I asked her, she responded really well."
Pride of the Nile drew alongside of Faiza in the stretch, but Faiza repelled her to win the mile race in 1:38.46. Desi Arnaz Stakes winner Justique , who raced last of the six fillies early, closed for third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Pride of the Nile. Sweet Trouble was fourth and Uncontrollable fifth.
The second through fifth finishers earned qualifying points on an 8-4-2-1 basis toward the Kentucky Oaks (G1) this spring at Churchill Downs. The winner was ineligible for points, owing to Churchill Downs Inc. barring Baffert from participation at its tracks through mid-2023 for medication infractions.
A daughter of Girvin —Sweet Pistol , by Smart Strike , bred in Kentucky by Brereton C. Jones, Faiza sold to Petersen for $725,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale from the Paul Sharp consignment. In her last start prior to the Las Virgenes, Faiza won the 1 1/16-mile Starlet (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course.
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D'Amato's Ex-Baffert Trainee Newgrange Defeats Baffert's Hopper in San Pasqual
Trainer Phil D'Amato, who wins prodigiously on the turf, joked Saturday after Newgrange defeated Baffert-trained Hopper in the $202,000 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) on the dirt that he finally learned how to beat Baffert: "It took an ex-Baffert to beat him."
Baffert trained Newgrange for his first four starts until the colt went through the 2022 Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, and Gary Hartunian's Rockingham Ranch purchased him for $325,000 from the ELiTE consignment. Since then, D'Amato has conditioned Newgrange for the partnership of Rockingham, David Bernsen, and Little Red Feather Racing.
Hopper, who hadn't run since June, led through most of the San Pasqual's 1 1/8 miles. Parnelli did not let Hopper get too far away, and jockey Juan Hernandez kept Newgrange within reach. Hopper and Parnelli battled it out in the stretch, but Newgrange swept by them both late from the outside to score by a length in 1:49.97. Hopper held onto second by a head from Parnelli.
Newgrange wins the San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita
The large Little Red Feather group piled into the winner's circle, and founding partner Billy Koch grinned as he put one arm around Chris Clemens and the other around Laura Clemens of Riverside, Calif.
"I was crying—I'm pretty excited," Laura said. "When it happens like this and we're all together and we're all just screaming... It just feels like family."
The Little Red Feather partners barely finished their champagne when they had to head for the winner's circle again. D'Amato-trained Kitty Kitana won Santa Anita's final race on the card for Little Read Feather and Sterling Stables.
As for Newgrange, he won his fifth race in eight starts. Under Baffert's tutelage, he captured the 2022 Sham Stakes (G3) and Southwest Stakes (G3). Jack Mandato and Black Rock Thoroughbreds bred the 4-year-old son of Violence —Bella Chianti , by Empire Maker , in Kentucky.