Santa Ysabel Stakes 2024 | Santa Anita Park Replay [Kentucky Oaks]

The Bob Baffert-trained Kinza won the 2024 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, a prep race for the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

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Watch the race replay here:

The press release:

Michael Lund Petersen’s Kinza stayed perfect in her young career with a smashing five-length victory in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Kinza seized the early lead under Juan Hernandez and was never threatened in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the Grade II Santa Anita Oaks April 6. Kinza set solid fractions of 22.52, 45.98 and 1:10.55 for six furlongs while being tracked by 14-1 shot She’s a Tempest.

At the head of the stretch, Hernandez gave Kinza her cue and she responded, drawing off from the field to win in a final time of 1:44.16. Where’s My Ring, a 20-1 longshot for trainer Val Brinkerhoff, rallied to be second under Victor Espinoza returning $8.20, $5.20.  She’s a Tempest and Tiago Pereira checked in another 1 ¼ lengths back in third for trainer Steve Knapp returning $4.00.  

Checking in fourth was Ultimate Authority, followed by Shiloh’s Mistress, Nay V Belle, Pacific Rose and Ifuaintfirsturlast, who was eased.

Kinza off at 1-2 paid $3.00, $2.80 and $2.10. She is now three-for-three following a 7 ¼-length debut win here going six furlongs Dec. 29 followed by a two-length victory in the Grade III, Las Virgenes going a mile Feb. 10.

Kinza is by Carpe Diem out of the Quality Road mare Secret Wonder. Petersen purchased the filly for $350,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

 GRADE III, $100,000 SANTA YSABEL STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

JUAN HERNANDEZ, KINZA, WINNER : “She was feeling very sharp today in the post parade actually she was a little hot, that’s why we broke out of the post parade but then a when I got her on the track, she was a little better. I think she was just feeling a little fresh and now she knows she was going to race, so she was feeling a little hot. I didn’t want to go that fast in the beginning, I wanted to go nice and easy.  I just let her go, I didn’t want to fight her she was really comfortable. I felt the pace fast earlier, so I said, ‘I’m just going to wait I’m not going to move.’ I was just checking making sure no one got too close to me and when she switched leads that’s when she picked it up again and gave me another gear, she is a nice filly.”

TRAINER QUOTES

BOB BAFFERT, KINZA WINNER: “She is just so naturally fast, she gets wound up. She is getting better. Her worst enemy is that she is just so cranked up. My team and my staff everyone works hard to school her and spends time with her. She is just a naturally gifted speed horse. She has a beautiful way of moving and just gets over the ground really nice and with her speed and the way she gets going it’s just perfect.”