Desert Dawn Gets Back to Winner's Circle in La Canada
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Desert Dawn and jockey Flavien Prat win the La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita Park
It had been nearly two years since H & E Ranch's homebred Desert Dawn took her win photo and found herself headed to the 2022 Run for the Lillies following an upset score in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2). Third in that year's Kentucky Oaks (G1), she continued to rack up an impressive list of grade 1 and graded stakes placings without crossing the wire in first.
That changed Jan. 20 when the gutsy Arizona-bred swept to the front at the top of the lane and staved off a late run from Coffee in Bed to take the $100,000 La Canada Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares at Santa Anita Park.
Desert Dawn was positioned off the pace under jockey Flavien Prat in the 1 1/16-mile La Canada, though never let the leaders out of her sight. Tracking a moderate early tempo of :24.01 and :48.61, Prat pulled the trigger on the Cupid filly as she loomed three across turning for home.
Right as if it appeared racing fans were going to be treated to a rematch of the Dec. 15 Bayakoa Stakes (G3), where Midnight Memories prevailed in a stretch battle over Desert Dawn, the Phil D'Amato pupil put those thoughts to rest, surging ahead for a one-length tally.
Midnight Memories settled for third when passed late by the Mandella-trained Coffee in Bed.
Desert Dawn ($5.80) stopped the timer in 1:44.05 over a fast main track dampened by afternoon showers.