'Cleopatra' Looking to Reign in Chandelier

Racing fans are looking next to the $300,000 Chandelier Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park for the stakes coronation of American Cleopatra, the full sister to 2015 Triple Crown winnerAmerican Pharoah  .

Zayat Stables' homebred has been following pretty close to the script so far. She won at first asking by two lengths in a July 31 maiden special weight at Del Mar, but got rebuffed in her first stakes start, finishing second in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (gr. I) to Union Strike Sept. 3. Trained by Bob Baffert, American Cleopatra (Pioneerof the Nile  —Littleprincessemma) will be ridden from post 5 by Stewart Elliott, who was aboard for her maiden victory.

Zayat's star-in-the-making won't face Union Strike again in the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier, but plenty of talented contenders will be lining up with the hopes they'll be spoilers in Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier for the 14 Hands Winery Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).

One of those key contenders is Champagne Room, who became a graded stakes winner in the Aug. 6 Sorrento Stakes (gr. II) at Del Mar and finished third by nose behind American Cleopatra in the Del Mar Debutante. The daughter of Broken Vow  —Lucky to Be Me (by Bernstein) is owned by Ciaglia Racing, Exline-Border Racing, Gulliver Racing, Robin Christensen, Dan Legan, and Sharon Alesia. The filly is trained by Peter Eurton and will break from post 3 under Mike Smith.

Also expected to be tough is LNJ Foxwoods' undefeated homebred With Honors, a daughter of War Front   who won in near gate-to-wire fashion in her first start and followed that with a half-length victory in the one-mile Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes. One of two entries in the race for trainer Keith Desormeaux, With Honors will break from post 1 under Flavien Prat. 

Another undefeated entrant is Hronis Racing and John Sadler's Bitzka. The daughter of Tiago won her first start at Del Mar by 4 1/4 lengths and improved on that effort with a 5 1/4-length win in the Barretts Debutante Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course. Bitzka is trained by Sadler and will be ridden by Tyler Baze, who was aboard for her stakes victory. The filly was bred in Ohio by Andy Stronach.

J K Racing and Bruce Chandler's Zapperkat, a daughter of Ghostzapper  , will be stepping up to stakes company for the first time but seems up to the task. The filly won her first start by 5 1/4 lengths Aug. 20 at Del Mar, getting the six furlongs in 1:10.18 and earning a 97 Equibase Speed Figure. Zapperkat is trained by Richard Baltas and will be ridden by Norberto Arroyo Jr. The filly was bred in Kentucky by Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.