2/6/2021

  9   SA      Las Virgenes Stakes (GII)  [KYO]

            $200.000           3yoF         1m   Dirt           121lbs +penalties

We have a small but talented field of six fillies set to go a flat mile on the SA main track and we look at the field for the Las Virgenes Stakes (GII).  I’m going right to the rail for my top choice and gave that to Grazin At Sunrise.  She has quite a bit of graded stakes experience and just missed last out over this track in the Santa Ynez Stakes (GII).  Anything close to that should get the job done.  I’m putting Cherokee Latte in the second spot and hope to get some value here.  She’s won two in a row but may fly under some handicapper’s radar.  She has a nice early turn of foot and that could make her a tough nut to crack.

Here’s The Field –

Has been close in a number of graded races, but never seems to get that little extra she needs to bring home the picture.  She won the Astoria at BEL back in the summer and then shows a string of five near misses.  Can she find that little bit extra to get the job done?  That length-back second in the Santa Ynez (GII) last out says she’s close.

Just missed in her first black-type race, which came after breaking maiden and changing barns.  She closed well to be the runner-up at FG and looks like she is just beggin’ for a bit more distance.  If she gets a clear path late, she could spell trouble.

Well, who do we get today?  The flashy filly that closed like a freight train to take the Spinaway (GI) at SAR or the fizzy filly that ran tenth last out after changing hands for the flashy sum of $1,200.000?  They add blinkers today, perhaps to help her concentrate – she can run, I wouldn’t put a lot of worry into that most recent (non)effort.

Broke maiden at first asking on a wet MNR surface and goes right after the big horses here in her second start.  The only other horse from her maiden win that has started came back to win, so maybe she has the stuff to run at this level.  We find out today. 

Broke maiden at KEE in her fifth start and then came right back to win the Tempted at AQU, showing good speed in both of… well, ALL of her races.  She seems to be getting better with every start and I think you have to give her a big chance today. 

She’s been on the board in six of seven starts including three wins, including a NY-bred stakes core at AQU on a wet track.  The down side is she just didn’t seem to get going at all last out vs. NY-bred stakes company, running eighth of twelve.  She needs to improve from that effort. 

COZMAN  1 / 5          Willie’s Green Card     1 / 2     

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES