Anisette to stay home for Rodeo Drive Stakes

Anisette, winner of two graded stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf at Del Mar this summer, is scheduled to race against older fillies and mares in a stakes for the first time in the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes on Oct. 7 at Santa Anita.

Trainer Leonard Powell said Sunday that he intends to start Anisette in the $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf instead of the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies on Oct. 14 at Keeneland.

Powell had mentioned the $600,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup as a primary goal after Anisette won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on Aug. 19.

“We’re leaning toward staying home,” Powell said.

In making his decision, Powell cited Anisette’s win at Santa Anita in her American debut, the lack of the need to ship, and the Rodeo Drive’s status in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge program as three reasons. The winner of the Rodeo Drive Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Filly and Mare Turf on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

“She likes the course,” Powell said of Santa Anita. “She’s doing well. There are more unknowns with the shipping aspect. The QE II won’t be a walk in the park.”

Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Anisette won an allowance race at Santa Anita against older fillies and mares in May and her stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile on turf on July 22 at Del Mar.

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