In a considerable upset, Bob Baffert’s Kalypso burst upon the scene a furlong from home and motored to an authoritative 4 ¾ length win in Sunday’s Grade I, $300,000 La Brea Stakes, thus providing Baffert and John Velazquez with their third win in combination on Santa Anita’s Opening Day and for Velazquez, his fourth overall win on the day.
With Livingmybestlife carving out the early pace from her outside post position, eventual runner-up Brilliant Cut engaged her at the top of the lane but neither were any match for the winner in the final furlong.
Third at the rail, about 1 ½ lengths off the lead at the quarter pole, Kalypso swung three-deep turning for home and seemed to re-break in deep stretch.
With Baffert’s heavily favored Private Mission seemingly never getting untracked while finishing sixth at 3-5, Kalypso, idle since well beaten in a Grade II going seven furlongs at Churchill Downs April 30, was off at 8-1 in a field of seven sophomore fillies and paid $19.60, $9.00 and $5.00.
Owned by Rockingham Ranch, David Bernsen, LLC, et al, Kalypso, a Kentucky-bred filly by Brody’s Cause out of the Malibu Moon mare Malibu Cove, notched her second Santa Anita graded stakes win of the year and her third overall stakes victory from an overall mark of 9-3-3-2. With the winner’s share of $180,000, she increased her earnings to $480,600.
Off at 20-1 with Jose Ortiz, the Doug O’Neill-trained Brilliant Cut paid $17.80 and $8.00.
Checking in third was the early pacesetter, Livingmybestlife, who finished a half length better than Eddie’s New Dream. Off at 5-1 with Juan Hernandez, Livingmybestlife paid $4.80 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.11, 44.92 and 1:10.92.
Santa Anita Press Release
Photo: Benoit Photo
