La Canada Stakes – Grade II
SA Race #6 1 1/16m Dirt Graded Stake
Purse $200.000 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward.

1 Pure Addiction TwinTowersRacing Prat F

This one pretty much typifies that the difference between a good race at a high track is pretty much the same as a stakes race. Consistent and successful at lower levels she campaigned in graded stakes for much of last year and was twice second at grade one level but i am not sure she was a better four year old than she was a three year old. Now as a five year old she gets the chance to put some early wins on the board as the weight allowances even out and the three year olds are yet to arrive on the scene. Her works are good enough and her form at this level too so with the ace draw she must have a winning chance.

2 Miss Steel Mazula Nakamura Stables Gutierrez Mario

A successful season as a three year old saw her win the CA Oaks and The Trillium Stakes but being a three year old is very different from being a four year old in this game and she will need to have improved to win this. The draw will certainly help that and her works continue to be strong so she has a chance to kick her season off where she left off.

3 Zombie Storm La Canada Racehorses Espinoza V

Another four year old that ended the season strongly at three i particularly liked her close fourth in the Zenyatta coming from a long way back. I would say she may be one of the best chances of the four year olds based on her late improvements so she should definitely go on the list of possible winners.

4 Laffy Crack Night Rider Stables Van Dyke D

Second in the grade one Spinster and the winner of the DEL Handicap last year she certainly comes into the reckoning. Her works are strong and as long as she manages to keep up early she could well pip them to the line.

5 Pocono Fashion Nakamura Stables Franco G

Third in the BC Distaff at the end of a successful campaign that included a win in the grade one Cotillion she certainly improved in leaps and bounds last year. On her BC effort she is probably the form choice for this as long as you overlook the fact she is a four year old and her works are just a tick of some of these.

6 Prime Illusion Nakamura Stables Pereira T J

Another successful four year old from the stable she won the Ballerina BC last year but was of course was getting the three year old allowance and doesn’t get that today. A nice sort who is definitely on the up she would have to find something a little extra to be a winning chance.

7 Coconut Princess Rampage Stable Rosario J

A very consistent sort last year she won the Pine Stakes and raced against her own age group for most of the season. That fact make it harder to judge where she stands in this race but she was behind Pocono Fashion in the Cotillion last year so that may be the form line we need to look at. Having said that she was drawn wide in the Cotillion so even that may not be reliable form so she may just have something to say today.

8 Class Status Fractious Fuentes Ru

She was fourth in the grade one Phipps over this trip from a wide gate when Fractious paid $550.000 for her and moved them to a new stable. After that purchase in the summer she was campaigned in sprint races and although she failed to win she did end the season by being seventh beaten two length in the BC Sprint. Today she is upped in trip again so it will be interesting to see how she goes but she may just need a start or two to find her best form.

9 Copper Mama Team 7 Illusions Velazquez J R

Bought from the departing Calia Stable for $130.000, she immediately paid some of that back by taking the NY Stallion Series Staten Island at the end of the year. She is not a bad sort but this draw and this race may come a bit soon in her development.

10 Pink Authority Smokey Stover Cedillo A

The winner of five races as a four year old is certainly a positive sign and now she is five she will certainly benefit from a gentle year. Her works have been sharp and she has won her last three so couple that with the fact the trainer is laying golden eggs at the moment and she must be given a chance. The race engine however may decide her fate.

11 Broadway Stripes Glorify Stables Hernandez J J

gets the car park which is a shame for this consistent sort. I would certainly be giving her a chance form an inside draw but her running style doesn’t seem to suit the wide draw so i am steering away from her.

SUMMARY

On form you would have to go with Pocono Fashion, but form doesn’t mean so much, so I am going to look outside the box a little. Laffy Crack could be the one with pure Addiction a good long shot.

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES