Causeforcommotion romps in Santa Barbara

ARCADIA, Calif. – Causeforcommotion won her first graded stakes in Saturday’s Grade 3 Santa Barbara, pulling clear to dominate four rivals with a nine-length victory in the turf marathon for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Geovanni Franco, Causeforcommotion ($4.40) stalked pacesetter Animosity for the first mile and took the lead on the final turn. Lynne’s Legacy finished second, followed by Guiliana, Animosity, and Kodiak West in the small field.

“She galloped down the stretch,” Franco said.

Causeforcommotion ran 1 1/2 miles in 2:26.91 for her second stakes win. She earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

Causeforcommotion won the minor Possibly Perfect Stakes at 1 1/4 miles last June in what turned out to be her final start of the year. Earlier in 2018, Causeforcommotion was second in the Santa Barbara Stakes.

Trained by Eric Kruljac, Causeforcommotion was third in an allowance race with an $80,000 claiming option at a mile here April 19 in advance of the $100,000 Santa Barbara.

“She’s still improving, even from last year,” Franco said.

Last summer, Causeforcommotion strained a hind suspensory in a workout at Del Mar, leading to a lengthy break. A 5-year-old mare by Americain, Causeforcommotion has won 4 of 16 starts and earned $263,910 for a partnership that includes John Sondereker, Jim Reed, and Kruljac.