Chilean import making U.S. stakes debut in Las Cienegas

ARCADIA, Calif. – Paquita Coqueta was a multiple stakes winner on dirt and turf in Chile in the two years before joining trainer Richard Mandella’s stable in California last year.

For Mandella, the 6-year-old Paquita Coqueta has not been worse than third in three starts, including a sharp win in an optional claimer at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar last month. The win has led to Paquita Coqueta’s American stakes debut in the $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The race could be moved to dirt if rain arrives this weekend, as expected. That is not an issue for Mandella. Paquita Coqueta is running this weekend, he said.

“I haven’t run her on the dirt,” he said. “If it comes off, I’ll give it a try.”

If the Las Cienegas is transferred to the main track, the distance will be 6 1/2 furlongs. The race drew five fillies and mares and is the third race on a nine-race program.

KEY CONTENDERS

Paquita Coqueta, by Scat Daddy
Last 3 Beyers: 92-84-91

◗ A Chilean-bred, Paquita Coqueta has won 13 of 26 starts but has earned only $134,872, a reflection of the poor prize money in Chile. In the final four months of 2016, she was second and third in optional claimers on turf at Del Mar and here before the breakthrough win Dec. 3.

◗ Paquita Coqueta led throughout the five-furlong turf race, drawing off to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

“Her last race was pretty good,” Mandella said.

◗ Gary Stevens was aboard for that win but is sidelined after an operation to replace a hip. Flavien Prat, who rode Paquita Coqueta in her first two starts, has the mount.

Cadet Roni, by Colonel John
Last 3 Beyers: 77-87-83

◗ Cadet Roni had an abbreviated but productive campaign in 2016. In three starts, she won the restricted Wishing Well Stakes, which was scheduled for turf and moved to a wet-fast main track, and was a well-beaten third in the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes on dirt last March.

◗ Following the Las Flores Stakes, trainer Mark Glatt took Cadet Roni out of training. The Las Cienegas is Cadet Roni’s comeback race. Similar to Mandella, Glatt is not concerned about a potential surface switch Saturday.

“She’s trained well for the comeback,” Glatt said. “She’s a superstar in the mud – at least she was in one race. We’ll see what happens with the track condition.”

◗ Cadet Roni was 12th in her only previous start on turf, a maiden race in 2015 that Glatt quickly dismisses.

“I’ve always felt she would run well on the grass anyway,” he said. “If it does end up on the grass, we can get a comeback race and see what her ability is on turf. She did run once on the grass, but it was long time ago, and it was a mile and a sixteenth.”