Enchanting Lady likely for Eight Belles Stakes

Enchanting Lady is likely to start in the $200,000 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 1 after winning the second stakes of her career in Sunday’s $77,050 Santa Paula Stakes.

Enchanting Lady will give owner Kaleem Shah a formidable team for some of the leading stakes at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby weekend. He owns the unbeaten Dortmund, who won the Santa Anita Derby last Saturday and is a top-rated candidate for the Kentucky Derby on May 2.

Enchanting Lady, trained by Bob Baffert, won the Santa Paula Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:15.01. She had an ideal trip under Martin Garcia, stalking the pace before taking the lead in early stretch.

“We were very confident,” Shah said in the winner’s circle. “She’s a fast filly. When we bought her, she was fast.”

Purchased for $650,000 at the 2014 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March sale of 2-year-olds in training, Enchanting Lady has won 2 of 4 starts and earned $134,280. She won the Landaluce Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs last June but did not start again until a fifth-place finish in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Feb. 28.

The Eight Belles is run at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies.