Las Cienegas Stakes – Grade III
6 1/2  Turf Graded Stake Purse $100.000 Fillies & Mares Four-Year-Old And Upward. At SA

1st     Antares            Alydar Stables                2.95-1 (HRP)     *7-5 (SRF)

Class of the field, Antares added her fifth graded stakes win to her resume and raised her earnings to $1,654.420.  Two races back, she won a grade three one-mile event. Now, she’s back to sprinting and it’s an easy stalk to the far turn, then take over and cruise home to a one-length victory. And this is her bread and butter. In spite of six straight graded turf routes, it’s really turf sprints that she champions. She’s seven years old now with 39 races under her belt, so it’s kinda hard to say, but she seems to have quite a future.

2nd     Sweet Dilemma        Maxmillion Farm        6.80-1 (HRP)       6-1 (SRF)

I said in my preview that Sweet Dilemma would have a hard time keeping up with this bunch. Well, just the opposite: she came flying out of the gate with a battle against the eventual winner, kept a half-length lead to the stretch when Antares could not be denied, but held on bravely for the second spot.

3rd     Korbut              Calia Stable                  3.05-1 (HRP)        20-1 (SRF)

The extra distance of the SA downhill suits Korbut allowing her closing charge to come within a length of the win. She’s very fond of this course. She came within a nose of winning both of her previous attempts down the hill.

4th     My Beautiful Ballon        Maxmillion Farm     *2.75-1 (HRP)         6-1 (SRF)

Installed as the favourite by the betting public, My Beautiful Ballon stalked very close to the pace over the early going only to weaken a bit coming down the lane and fading into fourth. I didn’t share the public’s enthusiasm for her, but I did recognize that last race had to be thrown out. However, now I see her lose by two lengths again and begin to wonder if everything is all right.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES