Manitoba-Bred Escape Clause Favored in La Canada Stakes
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Escape Clause is led to the winner's circle after the Kathryn Crosby at Del Mar
Regardless of the result in the $100,000 La Canada Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, odds are horseman Don Schnell is going to be carrying his head high Jan. 12.
It may not be the best field in the history of the La Canada, which was downgraded to a grade 3 for this year and had its purse cut in half, but the fact that Manitoba-bred Escape Clause has been tagged as the 5-2 morning-line favorite carries some weight.
"Who would have ever figured a hick-town trainer with a hick-town horse could come into Santa Anita and be the favorite?" Schnell, Escape Clause's owner and trainer, said Friday, just after he led the Going Commando mare into her stall after a van ride from his winter base at Turf Paradise.
To be fair, Escape Clause has fit just fine in three Southern California starts, which followed a run of eight straight victories racing at Century Downs, Assiniboia Downs, Canterbury Park, and Northlands Park. She won the Nov. 9 Kathryn Crosby Stakes via disqualification at Del Mar in her turf debut, placed in the Nov. 22 Red Carpet Handicap (G3T), and had a brutal trip to finish fourth in the Dec. 29 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3T) last time out.
BALAN: Manitoba-Bred Escape Clause Springs Upset at Del Mar
Schnell said she only showed signs of being tired after the Red Carpet, a 1 3/8-mile grass test, but because of her trip in the Frankel, she didn't get to do much running and bounced out of the race well. He decided to ship her back to Turf Paradise between races because she can be hard to handle during training, and he prefers to have her main exercise rider aboard.
A return to dirt, where she has won 15 stakes (one black-type, 14 non-black-type), should not be a problem for Escape Clause, but Schnell is not sure which surface suits her best.
"I don't know. She seemed to like the turf," he said. "But we have taken her to different tracks, and she's adapted to all of them."
Like Escape Clause, most of the seven-horse field for the 1 1/16-mile La Canada will be seeking a first graded stakes win. The lone graded winner is Batchelor Family Trust's True Royalty, the 3 1/2-length winner of the Aug. 26 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at Del Mar.
BALAN: True Royalty Kicks Away for Torrey Pines Victory
Trained by John Sadler, the Yes It's True filly last raced in the Oct. 20 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, where she finished 12th of 14 after a poor start.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, January 12, 2019, Race 8Entries: La Canada S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Exuberance (KY)
Geovanni Franco
120
Ian Kruljac
8/1
2
2Stradella Road (KY)
Rafael Bejarano
120
Gary Stute
5/1
3
3Lemoona (KY)
Flavien Prat
120
Richard Baltas
5/1
4
4True Royalty (FL)
Joel Rosario
122
John W. Sadler
3/1
5
5Bernina Star (KY)
Kent J. Desormeaux
120
James M. Cassidy
8/1
6
6Escape Clause (MB)
Tyler Baze
120
Don Schnell
5/2
7
7K P Wildcat (KY)
Roimes Chirinos
120
Jeff Mullins
4/1
