Chasing Yesterday starts over in Anoakia Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The reset button is being hit with Chasing Yesterday, the half-sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

After a disappointing race six weeks ago at Saratoga, she tries to return to the form that carried her to a dominating victory in her debut when she heads a field of five Sunday in the $75,000 Anoakia Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.

Chasing Yesterday will have a new rider, with Drayden Van Dyke taking over for Mike Smith, who opted to ride the impressive maiden winner It’sjustanillusion for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

It figures to be close in the wagering between those two fillies, who stand out compared to their three rivals in the six-furlong race.

Chasing Yesterday drew the small field’s outside post position, similar to where she drew for her maiden win at Del Mar. It’s important, because in the Spinaway at Saratoga she ended up between horses early and slipped back farther when the spray of dirt hit her as she tried to keep up. She finished seventh of 11 as the 8-5 favorite.

“Perfect draw,” her trainer, Bob Baffert, said Friday morning at Santa Anita, adding that in the Spinaway, “she fell back and was eating dirt, and she’d never been in that position before.”

“She might have been better off sitting back and making a run,” Baffert said.

Chasing Yesterday, a daughter of Tapit, has turned in a sharp series of works since returning from Saratoga.

“She’s been working really well,” Baffert said.

Although Chasing Yesterday won first time out going 5 1/2 furlongs, Baffert thinks she will be better with more distance.

It’sjustanillusion, a daughter of Uncle Mo, ran to notices in her lone start, powering to a 2 3/4-length victory going six furlongs at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.

Andyoushallreceive, Marrazano, and Watch Me Burn round out the field.

The Anoakia goes as race 5 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

KEY CONTENDERS

Chasing Yesterday, by Tapit
Beyers: 60-86

◗ Her debut fig is the best of anyone in the field.

◗ She was bred and is owned by the Summer Wind Equine of Jane Lyon.

It’sjustanillusion, by Uncle Mo
Beyer: 80

◗ She, too, is a homebred, for Tom and Debi Stull’s Tommy Town Thoroughbreds.

Watch Me Burn, by Hold Me Back
Last 3 Beyers: 52-67-58

◗ The most-experienced horse in the field, with five starts, she should benefit from some class relief, having chased divisional leader Bellafina in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante last time out.

Andyoushallreceive, by Fed Biz
Beyer: 62

◗ She got only a moderate fig in her lone start, but she overcame a rough start to rally for the win, and would benefit if the pace is contested.

Marrazano, by Verrazano
Beyers: 71-48

◗ She was wide in a turf sprint first time out, then switched to dirt and prevailed.