Blind Luck works on training track preparing for La Canada

ARCADIA, Calif. – There were 157 works at Santa Anita on Thursday, a mere two on the infield training track. But one of them turned heads. Blind Luck, expected to head the field on Sunday in the Grade 2, $150,000 La Canada Stakes, worked a half-mile on the bullring in 49.20 seconds with jockey Rafael Bejarano. Considering all her recent works here had been on the main track, what was up with that?

“Her feet have been a little warm, a little tender, so we worked her on the training track,” Dan Ward, the local assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer, candidly said. “There’s been a little bruising. Nothing serious. And she worked on that track last year before she won the Fantasy.”

Blind Luck, last year’s champion 3-year-old filly, was expected to have few rivals in the La Canada. But she was expected to again face Always a Princess, who outran Blind Luck in last month’s El Encino Stakes.

Bejarano rode Always a Princess last time, but jumped to Blind Luck when the mount came open. Joel Rosario rode Blind Luck in her five prior starts, but Bejarano rode her in her six races before that. Martin Garcia, continuing to make inroads with his main benefactor, trainer Bob Baffert, ended up on Always a Princess. Rosario was expected to ride Harmonious.