In what appears to be a wide-open affair at seven furlongs, Steve Asmussen-trained Finite and Bob Baffert trainee Merneith head a field of 11 sophomore fillies in the Grade 1, $300,000 La Brea Stakes, one of five graded events on Santa Anita's Winter/Spring opening day this Saturday, Dec. 26.
A winner of the G3 Chilukki Stakes going a one turn mile at Churchill Downs Nov. 21, Finite is a three-time graded stakes winner who seeks her seventh win in what will be her 12th career start.
A winner of her last two starts, Merneith, a daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, seeks her third consecutive win and her first graded stakes win.
FINITE
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson & Deborah Easter
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Fresh off a rousing 2 ½ length win going a one turn mile in the G3 Chilukki Stakes at Churchill Downs Nov. 21, this daughter of Munnings will ship west in search of her first G1 victory. Although she rallied powerfully from off the pace to win the Chilukki, Finite has plenty of natural speed, evidenced by her gate to wire maiden win going 6 ½ furlongs on grass at age two. With three graded stakes victories and an overall mark of 11-6-3-0, she is the leading money earner in the field with $757,869 and looms the post time favorite.
MERNEITH
Owner: HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud
Trainer: Bob Baffert
A game neck winner of an ungraded six furlong stakes at Keeneland on Nov. 7, this daughter of American Pharoah was an emphatic 3 ¼ length allowance winner at the same distance here on Oct. 11 and thus seeks her third consecutive win. A well beaten third by Horse of the Year candidate Swiss Skydiver in her only graded stakes try, the G2 Santa Anita Oaks five starts back on June 6, Merneith appears poised for a top effort as Baffert seeks his record eighth La Brea triumph.
MOTIVATED SELLER
Owner: Klaravich Stables, Inc.
Trainer: Chad Brown
Second, beaten a neck by Merneith going six furlongs at Keeneland Nov. 7, this daughter of top sire Into Mischief is very much on the improve for Brown. A six length first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park Jan. 12, she was then idle until Oct. 11 at Belmont Park, where she pressed the early pace and registered a 2 ¾ length allowance win at the same distance. In what will be her fourth career start, Motivated Seller will be trying graded stakes competition for the first time.
THE GRADE I LA BREA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
- Princess Mo—Geovanni Franco—120
- Merneith—John Velazquez—120
- Himiko—Flavien Prat—120
- Secret Keeper—Abel Cedillo–120
- Finite—Ricardo Santana, Jr.—122
- Biddy Duke—Juan Hernandez—122
- Provocation—Joel Rosario—120
- Motivated Seller—Umberto Rispoli—120
- Fair Maiden—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
- Golden Principal—Mike Smith—120
- Stellar Sound—Victor Espinoza–120
The G1 La Brea, to be contested for the 48th time, is one of five graded stakes on an 11-race card Saturday.
Although there is no public admittance, fans can watch and wager via 1st.com/Bet and they can watch all of Santa Anita's races free of charge at santaanita.com/live. Special early first post time on Saturday is at 11 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
The post Finite Ships West To Take On Merneith In La Brea appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
