Affluent in line for a rarely achieved sweep

ARCADIA, Calif. - Affluent has been the leading lady through the first six weeks of the Santa Anita meeting. She won the La Brea Stakes on Dec. 29 and the El Encino Stakes on Jan. 20. On Saturday, she tries for a piece of history in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies. A win would make Affluent the first filly in 17 years to sweep the series.

Along the way, Affluent has beaten a full field of top-class sprinters in the La Brea and rallied from the back of the field to beat Royally Chosen by a nose in the El Encino over 1 1/16 miles.

Owned by Janis Whitham and trained by Ron McAnally, Affluent is trying for her fourth consecutive stakes win on Saturday, a streak that began in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on turf at Keeneland last October.

Despite a rest following that race, McAnally is worried that the 20-day layoff between the El Encino and the La Canada works against Affluent.

"I wished we had more time," McAnally said. "She hasn't missed a beat - that's one thing we have going for us."

Affluent should have a favorable trip in the La Canada, which drew six.

Royally Chosen drew the rail and will be close early, as will Ask Me No Secrets, who is making her stakes debut.

Summer Colony, the winner of five straight including the Grade 3 Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct on Dec. 22, has led in the past, but is more likely to be a stalker. Azeri, who is making her stakes debut, and Sea Reel, who was third in the El Encino, are stalkers who will be in front of Affluent.

Azeri is unbeaten in three starts, including a win in a one-mile allowance race on Jan. 12. Aside from Royally Chosen, she is considered the biggest threat to Affluent.

"It's time to give it a try," trainer Laura de Seroux said of Azeri's step up to graded stakes competition. "Those other fillies have had their races closer together. I'm not diminishing their performances, but it might be the time to take them on."

To win, Azeri must hold off Affluent, whose late kick is ideal for Delahoussaye's style. Delahoussaye rode Mitterand to a sweep of the La Canada series in 1985 and feels Affluent is capable of the same.

"This is a filly that was good on the grass," Delahoussaye said. "She's shown that form on the dirt, and we don't get those that can do both that well."

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ARCADIA, Calif. - Affluent has been the leading lady through the first six weeks of the Santa Anita meeting. She won the La Brea Stakes on Dec. 29 and the El Encino Stakes on Jan. 20. On Saturday, she tries for a piece of history in the $200,000 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies. A win would make Affluent the first filly in 17 years to sweep the series..

Along the way, Affluent has beaten a full field of top-class sprinters in the La Brea and rallied from the back of the field to beat Royally Chosen by a nose in the El Encino over 1 1/16 miles.

Owned by Janis Whitham and trained by Ron McAnally, Affluent is trying for her fourth consecutive stakes win on Saturday, a streak that began in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on turf at Keeneland last October.

Despite a rest following that race, McAnally is worried that the 20-day layoff between the El Encino and the La Canada works against Affluent.

"I wished we had more time," McAnally said. "She hasn't missed a beat - that's one thing we have going for us."

Affluent should have a favorable trip in the La Canada, which drew six.

Royally Chosen drew the rail and will be close early, as will Ask Me No Secrets, who is making her stakes debut.

Summer Colony, the winner of five straight including the Grade 3 Ladies Handicap at Aqueduct on Dec. 22, has led in the past, but is more likely to be a stalker. Azeri, who is making her stakes debut, and Sea Reel, who was third in the El Encino, are stalkers who will be in front of Affluent.

Azeri is unbeaten in three starts, including a win in a one-mile allowance race on Jan. 12. Aside from Royally Chosen, she is considered the biggest threat to Affluent.

"It's time to give it a try," trainer Laura de Seroux said of Azeri's step up to graded stakes competition. "Those other fillies have had their races closer together. I'm not diminishing their performances, but it might be the time to take them on."

To win, Azeri must hold off Affluent, whose late kick is ideal for Delahoussaye's style. Delahoussaye rode Mitterand to a sweep of the La Canada series in 1985 and feels Affluent is capable of the same.

"This is a filly that was good on the grass," Delahoussaye said. "She's shown that form on the dirt, and we don't get those that can do both that well."

for Santa Anita entries.

Subscribers: to purchase past performances for Santa Anita.

Non-subscribers: to purchase past performances for Santa Anita.