Barnmates must avoid speed duel in Santa Ynez

ARCADIA, Calif. – Light the City and Seduire may not be the most complementary stablemates in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

Stakes winners for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, Light the City and Seduire have ample speed. Keeping them from blazing to an early lead and canceling each other’s chances in a speed duel will be the job of jockeys Elvis Trujillo and Rafael Bejarano.

“We’ll have a strategy talk to give both horses the best chances to win,” Hollendorfer said.

Light the City and Seduire are part of a field of nine in the Santa Ynez, a race that could help define a messy 3-year-old filly division in Southern California. There was no locally based standout in the group when they raced as 2-year-olds in 2014.

KEY CONTENDERS

Seduire (Last 3 Beyers: 88-75-68)

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◗ Owned by Regis Racing, Seduire won her second stakes in the Golden Gate Debutante over six furlongs Nov. 29, leading throughout. She has worked well at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita in recent weeks.

“Off her last race, she’s shown a great deal of improvement,” Hollendorfer said.

◗Seduire, by Elusive Quality, has won 3 of 6 starts. She seems quicker than Light the City and could be forced to the lead from the rail.

Light the City (Last 3 Beyers: 80-82-76)

◗Set the pace in the four-runner Desi Arnaz Stakes over seven furlongs Nov. 16 but faded in the final furlong to finish third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths by the Hollendorfer-trained Achiever’s Legacy.

◗By Street Sense, Light the City won the Anoakia Stakes over six furlongs here in October, closing from third of five. Of the two Hollendorfer-trained fillies in the field, she may be the one with a brighter future in routes.

“She should run long,” Hollendorfer said.

Xoxo (Last 3 Beyers: 89-32-70)

◗After winning her debut at Los Alamitos in September, Xoxo ran too fast early in the Anoakia and faded to last. She rebounded to win an optional claimer at Del Mar on Nov. 27, racing without blinkers for the first time.

◗With Seduire and Light the City drawn to her inside, Xoxo could have a favorable trip, trainer Peter Miller said.

“I don’t think she needs the lead, but she is fast,” Miller said.

Rattataptap (Last Beyer: 83)

◗Beat maidens in her debut over 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 29, closing from fifth in a field of 12 to win by a nose. Trained by Jeff Bonde, Rattataptap, by Tapit, has her second career start in the Santa Ynez.

◗Rattataptap is one of three fillies in the field who won maiden special weight races in their last starts, along with Callback and Lady Lake.

Callback, trained by Bob Baffert, beat maidens over 5 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on Dec. 4 in her second start. Lady Lake, trained by Jeff Mullins, beat maidens over 6 1/2 furlongs here Nov. 2 in her debut.