ARCADIA, Calif. – An unassuming 3-year-filly division gets a boost Sunday at Santa Anita, where the $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes includes a precocious comebacker whose early season debut hinted she might be special.
A. Z. Wildcat, impressive winner of her only start in June, returns with sharp workouts as she tries to pick up where she left off six months ago. It’s not like she faces any killers in her comeback.
The seven-furlong Santa Ynez was devalued this year from Grade 3 to listed stakes and will be run Sunday without the California-based division leaders. Grade 1 winner Tenma will wait for a route, and two-time Grade 1-placed Vodka With a Twist is being freshened.
The past five Santa Ynez editions averaged 5.4 starters and were won by odds-on favorites. This year’s race has eight entrants; the favorite’s price will be higher. Candidates for favoritism are Grade 2 runner-up Look Forward, stakes winner and runner-up Silent Law; and A. Z. Wildcat. Others entered are Polythene Pam, Howin, Practical Dream, Mawu, and Artisma.
A. Z. Wildcat came around early. She was the first juvenile starter of 2024 for trainer John Sadler and Hronis Racing. Favored on June 30 at Los Alamitos, A. Z. Wildcat settled in third and won convincingly with a noteworthy 72 Beyer Speed Figure for a 2-year-old in spring. It was her only start.
“She got sick after she ran at Los Al,” Sadler said. “She got colic and then it turned into a sickness and we had to kick her out.”
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A. Z. Wildcat resumed works in October, and Sadler targeted the Santa Ynez. The Munnings filly looked good outfinishing a workmate Dec. 29 and figures to come back firing under Flavien Prat. Fast enough to earn a 72 Beyer in June, a more mature A. Z. Wildcat should be able to earn a mid-80s fig in January. Chances are that would be high enough to win the Santa Ynez.
Bob Baffert entered three in the Santa Ynez, including Silent Law, who won her first two starts, a maiden race at Los Alamitos and the Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita. Odds-on last out in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar, Silent Law dueled and finished second.
“She’s real fast,” Baffert said. “They were going really fast, [Juan Hernandez] was trying to slow her down.”
Silent Law faded to second as her Beyers continue to descend, from 84 to 78 to 67. Hernandez is back aboard Silent Law.
Baffert also entered Howin and Mawu. Howin won her debut Oct. 12, a mile in 1:40.10 with a 64 Beyer.
“I would have preferred going long with her,” Baffert said. “I want to get a race into her, and allowance races are difficult to fill. They need to run.”
Kazushi Kimura rides Howin.
Mawu, third in the Desi Arnaz and fourth in the Starlet, “is slowly coming around,” Baffert said. “She was heavy and she’s getting fit now.”
Mike Smith rides Mawu.
Look Forward enters with the highest last-out figure, an 80 Beyer she earned finishing second at Los Alamitos in the 1 1/16-mile Starlet. Michael McCarthy trains Look Forward, whose rider is Mario Gutierrez.
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