Rivalry Renewed in La Canada Stakes

Two of California’s best three-year-old fillies from 2013 will meet for the first time this year on Sunday at Santa Anita for the running of the $200,000 Grade II La Canada Stakes. The field is restricted to four-year-old fillies, and they’ll be going 1 1/16 miles over the dirt. Jerry Hollendorfer’s Broken Sword has been made the 7-5 morning line favorite, with the Bob Baffert-trained Fiftyshadesof hay has been made a close second choice at 8-5.  The two last met at Hollywood Park in early December, with Broken Sword winnng the Grade II Bayakoa Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths.

Favorite took a big step up last time

After spending the entire season racing at the AOC level, Broken Sword looked dominant in her first stakes try, leading from out of the gate and enjoying a comfortable hand-ride throughout to win with ease at 8-1. Even-money favorite Fiftyshadesofhay, meanwhile, had to overcome a bad bobble coming out of the gate, and then pulled jockey Martin Garcia around the track in a futile attempt to run down the leader. She had been campaigning all season in the graded-stakes ranks and was never worse than third in eight straight, with three wins.

Anyone else in the top two could trigger a big payoff

In a race that could produce a substantial payoff on the exotics, the third choice in the morning line is 4-1 the Florida-bred Ondine, who has never been out of the money in eight career starts, and comes into this off a win in the Beverly Lewis Stakes back in September. She was third in the Grade II Hollywood Oaks last summer as well. None of the other four starters are better than 8-1. At that point is Oscar Party, who was knocking on the door in several graded events in 2013, and managed a second in the Grade II Indiana Stakes and third in the Grade III Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs.