Promising Fillies Meet in Santa Ynez Stakes

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer's stakes-winning duo of Seduire and Light the City clash with dual graded winner Conquest Harlanate in the $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes (gr. II) for newly-turned 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita Park Jan. 3.

At 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track, the Santa Ynez attracted a field of nine. The race immediately precedes the San Gabriel Stakes (gr. II) on the Saturday card. The Santa Ynez is race seven on the program with a 3:30 p.m. PST tentative post.

Seduire, a gray daughter of Elusive Quality   owned by Regis Racing, drew the rail for her first start since romping by 5 1/2 lengths over four opponents as the 3-5 choice in the Golden Gate Debutante Nov. 29. In her only previous graded-stakes attempt, she ran fifth over Polytrack after setting the pace in the Del Mar Debutante (gr. I) Aug. 30.

She has consecutive bullet works on her tab—six furlongs Dec. 26 in 1:11 4/5 at Santa Anita and a six-furlong drill Dec. 20 in 1:15 1/5 at Golden Gate Fields. A six-time starter as a juvenile, Seduire ran second to stablemate Light the City in the six-furlong Anoakia Stakes by 2 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita Oct. 12.

That victory propelled Cheyenne Stables' Light the City to 3-10 favoritism against three rivals in the listed Desi Arnez Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 16. But the daughter of Street Sense  , after dueling for the lead, gave way late along the rail and settled for third in the seven-furlong test. This will be her first start since the only loss of her three-race career.

Hollendorfer has tapped Rafael Bejarano for Seduire, while Light the City, breaking from post 3, has Elvis Trujillo back aboard.

Conquest Stables' Conquest Harlanate posted three consecutive wins at Woodbine for trainer Mark Casse after debuting in July with a third-place finish against maidens. She won the Natalma (Can-II) on yielding ground by a neck Sept. 13, then proved an easy winner of the Mazarine Stakes (gr. III) on the Polytrack three weeks later.

Casse opted to run Conquest Harlanate in the Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) Oct. 31, when the daughter of Harlan's Holiday weakened after racing mid-pack on the outside to finish 11th. Mike Smith takes the call this time on the field's 123-pound highweight, replacing Patrick Husbands. Conquest Harlanate is making her first start on dirt.

Spendthrift Farm's Callback, trained by Bob Baffert, drew post 2 and will start between the two Hollendorfer entrants. The Street Sense filly was an impressive 2 1/2-length maiden winner in her second start Dec. 4 and will be ridden once again by Martin Garcia.

The Hall of Fame trainer has captured the Santa Ynez four times since 2004, and won it last year with Awesome Baby for Kaleem Shah.

Also coming off recent first-out maiden wins are the Jeff Bonde-trained Rattataptap and Lady Lake, conditioned by Jeff Mullins.

Xoxo scored in front-running style over an allowance/optional claiming field at Del Mar Nov. 27 for trainer Peter Miller and figures to be part of what should be a lively pace battle. Miller also entered Hennythelovepenny, who ran last in the 14 Hands Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) last time out.