ARCADIA, Calif. - The ascension of Kopion in California’s older female sprint division this winter has occurred at an ideal time for Spendthrift Farm and trainer Richard Mandella.
A few minutes after Kopion won her second consecutive graded stakes in Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita, Mandella said that a stablemate, the impeccably bred 4-year-old filly Tamara, a Grade 1 winner in 2023, sustained a chipped sesamoid in a training accident in the middle of the week and could be retired to be bred.
“She kicked a fence,” Mandella said. “I don’t know what we’ll do with it. We’re going to discuss if we’ll do a surgery or breed her. It’s a setback.”
Tamara, by Bolt d’Oro, is out of Beholder, a four-time champion and Hall of Fame mare who had a spectacular career from 2012 to 2016. Owned by Spendthrift, Tamara won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in September 2023.
Kopion, a 4-year-old filly by Omaha Beach, has been in the best form of her career the last six weeks. She returned from a layoff of more than eight months to win the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs in a 37-1 upset at Santa Anita on Saturday.
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In the $196,000 Santa Monica Stakes for older fillies and mares, Kopion won by a convincing 4 1/2 lengths as the 6-5 favorite. She ran seven furlongs in 1:21.27 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 110. By comparison, she was timed in 1:22.08 in the La Brea and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
On Saturday, Kopion was ridden for the first time by Antonio Fresu, a replacement for Kazushi Kimura, who is sidelined for at least another month after sustaining a lower-leg injury in a starting gate incident on Jan. 16.
Fresu and Kimura exchanged text messages in the days before the Santa Monica, with Kimura offering advice on the best way to ride Kopion.
“You will enjoy the ride,” Fresu said he was told by Kimura. “She’s very straightforward and a good filly.”
Kopion was part of a field of four in the Santa Monica, and the only runner not trained by Bob Baffert. Hope Road, a two-time Grade 3 winner in 2024, took an early lead through fractions of 22.67 for the opening quarter-mile and 45.04 for a half-mile.
Fresu had Kopion within a half-length of Hope Road before drawing alongside the leader on the turn.
“I rode her as the favorite,” Fresu said. “I was waiting for the quarter-pole to push the button and she quickened up very nicely.”
Kopion scooted clear late. Hope Road (2-1) finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 5-2 Richi. Spendora (6-1) finished fourth, beaten 7 1/4 lengths.
Hope Road was fourth in the La Brea, but ran a brighter race in the Santa Monica.
Kopion has won 4 of 6 starts and earned $434,600. She will be considered for the Grade 1 Beholder Mile for fillies and mares on March 8, Mandella said. In her only other start at a similar distance, Kopion finished a well-beaten fourth in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles last April. She did not race again until the La Brea.
Mandella said on Saturday that Kopion should be able to handle a two-turn race.
“I don’t know why she couldn’t,” Mandella said. “It’s only one more turn.”
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