Sky High Gal Tops Sadler Trio in Las Cienegas
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Trainer John Sadler has a threesome set to run in the $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes (gr. IIIT) on the hillside turf course April 12 at Santa Anita Park, led by recent stakes winner Sky High Gal.
Seven older fillies and mares will contest the Las Cienegas at about 6 1/2 furlongs. The race is the first of two graded stakes on Saturday's program at Santa Anita, and is carded as the fifth race with a 2:30 p.m. scheduled post. Later on the card, older horses battle in the $200,000 Potrero Grande (gr. II) at 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track.
Hronis Racing's Sky High Gal exits a game head victory in her seasonal debut over the downhill course, leading throughout in the restricted Wishing Well Stakes. A four-time winner from seven starts, the 4-year-old daughter of Leroidesanimaux won last year's listed Blue Norther Stakes and posted a close fourth-place finish in the Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes (gr. IIIT) last November. She is seeking her first graded win with Rafael Bejarano aboard for the first time from post 5.
Sadler also entered Minds Eyes, third in the Camilla Urso Stakes in her first start of the year March 15 at Golden Gate Fields, and Llandudno, making her stakes debut off a third behind Las Cienegas rival Biorhythm in an allowance/optional claiming event on the hillside course March 13.
Glen Hill Farm's Biorhythm appears to be on her way up for trainer Tom Proctor with three wins from six starts. The 4-year-old Malibu Moon miss topped Winding Way by 2 1/4 lengths in her most recent start on the hillside, her first race in more than seven months. She led all the way through blistering fractions of :21.50 and :43.96, completing the distance in 1:11.80 while never threatened. Drayden Van Dyke retains the mount.
One that merits strong consideration is Triple B Farms' Tribal Spy, gate-to-wire one-length winner of the Irish O'Brien Stakes over California-breds on the hillside March 15 for trainer Adam Kitchingham.
Rockingham Ranch's Ciao Bella Luna rallied for second in the Irish O'Brien for trainer Peter MIller after she broke in the air and trailed the field early. With her stalking style, the grade II winner is likely to show improvement in a speed-laden lineup.
Another that can come from off the pace is Irish-bred Macaabra, who scored over first-level allowance foes in her most recent start Jan. 24 at odds of 21-1 for trainer Gary Mandella.
$100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 5, 2:30 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 4 & Up, About 6 1/2 Furlongs (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Ciao Bella Luna (KY), M Garcia, 120, P Miller
2. Macaabra (IRE), B Blanc, 118, G Mandella
3. Llandudno (KY), T Baze, 118, J W Sadler
4. Biorhythm (FL), D Van Dyke, 118, T F Proctor
5. Sky High Gal (KY), R Bejarano, 118, J W Sadler
6. Tribal Spy (CA), J Talamo, 118, A Kitchingman
7. Minds Eyes (KY), E A Maldonado, 118, J W Sadler