Amy C stays perfect on the hill with Las Cienegas Stakes win

ARCADIA, Calif. – Amy C ratified her affinity for the hillside turf and won her first graded stakes with a convincing victory in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes on Monday at Santa Anita.

Amy C ($6.60 favorite) and jockey Umberto Rispoli defeated seven fillies and mares in the $101,500 turf sprint, winning by 1 1/4 lengths over longshot Lady Jae. Freedom Flyer finished third; Countess Rosina finished fourth.

Phil D’Amato trains Amy C, an English-bred who began her career in France, won an allowance in New York in 2021, and began her California career last May. Amy C finished off the board both routes in California, but the Las Cienegas made her 3 for 3 on the hill.

“She loves it down the hill,” D’Amato said. “Umberto said she switches lead before crossing the dirt, before he can even think about it. That’s what a pro does.”

It was fortunate for Amy C that weekend rain did not prevent the Las Cienegas from being run on the hill, although three turf sprints scheduled for the main oval Monday were contested under different conditions. A pair of six-furlong turf sprints (races 4 and 6) shortened to 5 1/2 furlongs; a six-furlong turf sprint on the main oval (race 8) moved to 6 1/2 furlongs on the hill.

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Racing secretary Chris Merz explained the turf chute, where six-furlong main-oval turf sprints normally begin, was still wet Monday.

“The turf chute didn’t dry out the way we wanted to,” Merz said. “It’s still a little soggy over there.”

The hillside course was listed as good for the race-1 Las Cienegas, and Rispoli liked his forwardly placed position.

“She can be a little bit keen, she can pull,” he said, adding that Amy C has become increasingly professional. Rispoli said she did not pull at all in the Las Cienegas. “That’s why I was so happy with her. She’s professional.”

Amy C raced fifth behind the speed, angled out for the stretch, kicked away, and won in 1:12.76. The win was the third stakes of the meet for D’Amato, whose 2.70-1 second favorite Lady Edith blew the break and got eliminated. She finished fifth, a half-length in front of D’Amato-trained Burgoo Alley. Brooke Marie and Royal Address completed the order of finish.

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