Kinza Wins Santa Ysabel; Mucho Del Oro Takes San Simeon
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Kinza wins the Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Kinza remained unchallenged in three starts with a tour de force in the $101,500 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) March 9 at Santa Anita Park.
Although Kinza received none of the eligible Road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) points for the Santa Ysabel, the New York-bred daughter of Carpe Diem stamped herself as the queen of Southern California with her five-length victory.
Kinza's trainer, Bob Baffert, is currently barred from competing at Churchill Downs due to a long-standing suspension derived from Medina Spirit's disqualification from the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1).
Hammered down to 1-2 odds at post time, Kinza strolled to her customary position on the front end and threw down testing fractions of :22.52, :45.98, and 1:10.55 on an uncontested lead. Widening her advantage into the far turn, the chestnut was given a few mindful taps by Juan Hernandez down the lane and continued on strongly to the wire.
Where's My Ring and She's a Tempest completed the trifecta.
Kinza, running for the silks of Michael Lund Petersen, stopped the timer in 1:44.16 for 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track. Collecting her second straight graded tally following her win in last month's Las Virgenes Stakes (G3), she improved her bankroll to $159,000.
Produced from the Quality Road mare Secret Wonder, Kinza was bred in New York by JD Business Ventures, Brushy Hill Stable, and Carpe Diem Syndicate.
Video: Santa Ysabel S. (G3)
Mucho Del Oro Goes Gate to Wire in San Simeon
Turning back bids from an onslaught of rivals at the head of the lane, front-running Mucho Del Oro proved a resilient half-length winner of the $101,500 San Simeon Stakes (G3T) a race later on the card.
Dancing Buck settled for second after chasing the winner throughout. Another neck back in third was a rallying Lane Way , who edged wide-rallying Sumter for the show.
The winner, a 6-year-old gelding, notched a graded stakes win for trainer Doug O'Neill and owner Purple Rein Racing, after being claimed for $50,000 in June at Santa Anita. Mucho Del Oro had made just one start in the interim when he contested the pace, took over, and then was caught by a nose when second in the Jan. 28 Clocker's Corner Stakes over the same 6 1/2-furlong, down-the-hill turf trip.
"Last time he came from a layoff, and they caught me right at the wire; he needed that race," winning rider Juan Hernandez said. "Today Doug O'Neill had him ready."
His mount also controlled the tempo with fractions of :22.36 and :44.31 en route to completing the distance in 1:12.76. He paid $7.80 to win.
Bred by BHMFR in Kentucky, Mucho Del Oro is out of the Broken Vow mare Repeta. His sire, the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner Mucho Macho Man , has sired grade 1 winners Mucho Gusto and Mucho Unusual and stands for a fee of CA$4,500 at Adena Springs North in Canada.