Angels Flight Stakes 2024 | Santa Anita Park Picks

Laulne, unraced since a 10th-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf in her U.S. debut last November, is installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in Sunday’s $100,000 Angels Flight Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the Santa Anita Park hillside turf course.

First post Sunday is 1 p.m. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.

Laulne was a Group 3 winner in her native France before shipping stateside for a crack in the Breeders’ Cup. Let go at 16-1 in a 14-horse field, Laulne failed to make an impact when checking in 10th.

Trained by Phil D’Amato, Laulne has worked eight times since mid-February for her second U.S. start. She is campaigned domestically by Madaket Stables, Panic Stable, Gerard Augustin-Normand, Robert V. LaPenta and Wiliam Strauss. The daughter of Starspangledbanner, who will be ridden by Antonio Fresu for the first time, has an overall record of 3-1-2 in seven starts with $120,762 in earnings.

Antifona, 3-1 on the morning line, won the Sweet Life Stakes on the hillside turf course two starts back on Feb. 11. Trained by John Sadler, the France-bred daughter of Recoletos most recently was stretched to a mile in the China Doll March 10 and finished third, three lengths behind well-regarded winner Medoro.

Antifona, who made her first seven starts in France, is campaigned domestically by Hronis Racing. She has an overall record of 3-2-1 in 11 starts with $132,867 in earnings.

Zona Verde, also 3-1 on the morning line, was beaten two lengths by Antifona when second in the Sweet Life. She also returned in the China Doll and bested Antifona that day, finishing 2 ¼  lengths back of Medoro in second. Zona Verde will be ridden by Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez.

Bred in Ireland, where she made her first four starts, Zona Verde is by the Kingman stallion Calyx. She is campaigned by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and Michael Nentwig. Overall, Zona Verde has a record of 2-3-1 in 10 starts with $160,926 in earnings.

THE ANGELS FLIGHT STAKES AT SANTA ANITA PARK, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 11 | Approximate post time 5 p.m.

1. She is Romantic—Diego Herrera—120
2. Rascality—Mike Smith—120
3. Alluring—Umberto Rispoli—120
4. Avoir—Armando Ayuso—120
5. Invincible Molly—Kazushi Kimura—122
6. Zona Verde—Juan Hernandez—124
7. Laulne—Antonio Fresu—124
8. Antifona—Hector Berrios—124
9. Girl of My Dreams—Edwin Maldonado—120