ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 9, 2020)–Most recently third in the opening day Grade I La Brea Stakes, Bob Baffert’s Mother Mother would appear to be sitting on a big performance as she heads an evenly matched field of five older fillies and mares going 6 ½ furlongs in Sunday’s $75,000 Kalookan Queen Stakes at Santa Anita.
Fresh off the best year of her career but well beaten in the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Nov. 2, the Richard Baltas-trained Lady Ninja, a reformed claimer who took a Grade III stakes here two starts back figures to be plenty tough as well.
Baffert will also be well represented by Flor de La Mar, a minor stakes winner two starts back who was well beaten as the favorite in a one mile allowance on Oct. 10.
MOTHER MOTHER
Owner: Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC, Barry Hall, Barry Lipman & Mark Mathiesen
Trainer: Bob Baffert
A solid third in the Grade I seven furlong La Brea Stakes on Dec. 28, this 4-year-old Pioneerof the Nile filly had been idle since well beaten on a sloppy track in the Grade II Eight Belles Stakes going seven furlongs on May 3 at Churchill Downs. With a recent race under her belt, this $450,000 Keeneland September Yearling appears poised to run a huge race with Joel Rosario back in the irons. An ungraded stakes winner at age two, Mother Mother is 9-2-3-2 with earnings of $315,661.
LADY NINJA
Owner: Harry Bederian, Harout Kamberian & Hagop Nakkashian
Trainer: Richard Baltas
A winner of four of her eight starts last year while in the money on seven occasions, this 6-year-old mare by Majesticperfection defeated the talented filly Selcourt by a nose here two starts back in the Grade III LA Woman Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs. Subsequently a well beaten eighth at 22-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, she lands in what appears to be a very good spot for her 6-year-old bow on Sunday. Claimed for $32,000 12 starts back on Sept. 1, 2018, Lady Ninja will be reunited with Flavien Prat, who last rode her on July 18 and has guided her to a total of five wins. With an overall mark of 23-8-4-4, including six wins from 11 starts at Santa Anita, Lady Ninja has earnings of $331,705.
FLOR DE LA MAR
Owner: Godolphin, LLC
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Unraced at two and three, this 4-year-old Tiznow filly won two out of her seven starts in 2019, including the six furlong Beverly J. Lewis Stakes two starts back on Sept. 7 at Los Alamitos. Most recently a well beaten fourth as the 6-5 favorite in a one mile allowance here on Oct. 10, she brings a scintillating work tab to the Kalookan party and appears ready to run back to her early notices, which included a second place finish to Bellafina in the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks five starts back on April 6.
THE $75,000 KALOOKAN QUEEN STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT
- Exuberance–Abel Cedillo–120
- Flor de La Mar–Drayden Van Dyke–120
- Show It N Moe It–Rafael Bejarano–122
- Mother Mother–Joel Rosario–120
- Lady Ninja–Flavien Prat–124
First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m., with admission gates opening at 10:30 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
Via Santa Anita Press Release
