Kinza stays unbeaten in the Santa Ysabel (G3) March 9 at Santa Anita (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif.— Kinza, a perfect 3-for-3 with two graded stakes wins for trainer Bob Baffert, leads nine fillies nominated to run in next Saturday’s GII, $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles.
Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Kinza has won her three starts by a combined 14 ½ lengths. She stayed perfect March 9 when taking the GIII Santa Ysabel, also at 1 1/16 miles, by five lengths under Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez. The Carpe Diem filly previously won the GIII Las Virgenes at a mile here by two lengths Feb. 10 when going two turns for the first time.
Kinza’s main threat is likely Kopion for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. The Omaha Beach filly finished two lengths back of Kinza in the Las Virgenes then bypassed the Santa Ysabel. Prior to the Las Virgenes, which was her first time going two turns, Kopion won the seven-furlong GIII Santa Ysabel here by 5 ¾ lengths Jan. 7.
Baffert also nominated Nothing Like You, who was a well-beaten fourth in the Las Virgenes. Prior to that effort, the Malibu Moon filly won the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz in November at Del Mar and the GII Starlet going 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos Dec. 9.
Trainer Peter Eurton nominated recent maiden winner Corposo. By Vino Rosso, Corposo graduated by a nose when stretched to a mile in her second start here March 9.
Trainer Val Brinkerhoff nominated both Where’s My Ring and Ifuaintfirsturlast. Where’s My Ring, who is a maiden, finished second behind Kinza in the Santa Ysabel. Ifuaintfirsturlast tried the Santa Ysabel and did not finish after being eased on the second turn.
The Santa Anita Oaks is an official prep for the Kentucky Oaks May 3 at Churchill Downs. Eligible horses finishing in the top five earn points on a scale of 100-50-30-20-10.
