Escape Clause, K P Wildcat seek first graded wins in La Canada

ARCADIA, Calif. – Who would have thought two leading contenders for the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita would be shippers from Arizona and New Mexico?

Escape Clause, a tough mare based at Turf Paradise, and K P Wildcat, a veteran from Zia Park and Sunland, have combined to win 31 races and $874,136. Both seek their first graded victory in the $100,000 La Canada.

The 1 1/16-mile race is a good spot to try, because locally based True Royalty is the only graded winner. Exuberance, Stradella Road, and Bernina Star are stakes-placed; Lemoona also is entered.

Don Schnell owns and trains Escape Clause, who has campaigned ambitiously the past two months. In November at Del Mar, she won a restricted stakes via disqualification and finished third in a Grade 3. Two weeks ago, she finished a troubled fourth in a Grade 3 at Santa Anita.

“I’ve never had a horse this tough,” Schnell said Thursday from Turf Paradise. “I know we’ve raced her fairly often. The more you ask of her, the more she’ll give you. Two days after a race, she’s on her hind legs, kicking and bucking. You can’t control her. She’s that tough.”

She’s that good. Escape Clause has won 18 races, including 16 on fast, one on wet, and one on turf. After a bad trip last out, she gets a beneficial rider switch Saturday to Tyler Baze.

Schnell and Escape Clause planned to drive from Turf Paradise to Santa Anita on Friday. K P Wildcat arrived a week and a half ago. After winning 13 races for Southwest trainer Weston Martin, K P Wildcat will race Saturday for trainer Jeff Mullins.

“She’s a dream, she acts like an old gelding,” Mullins said. “She does her business, a solid-acting older mare.”

True Royalty, who recovered from a foot problem after her most recent start in October, is the top local starter, having won the Grade 3 Torrey Pines last summer at Del Mar.

KEY CONTENDERS

Escape Clause, by Going Commando
Last 3 Beyers: 90-87-88

◗ She lost position when she steadied repeatedly last time and finished fourth by three lengths in the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes on turf. On Saturday, she should be positioned closer to the pace.

K P Wildcat, by Include
Last 3 Beyers: 78-74-77

◗ Her jockey, Roimes Chirinos, who rode her to eight of her nine stakes victories, will ride. Chirinos rode four races at Santa Anita in 2016. He seeks his first in-the-money finish here.

True Royalty, by Yes It’s True
Last 3 Beyers: 53-81-83

◗ Trainer John Sadler said True Royalty came out of the Grade 2 Raven Run with a sore foot.

“We got her fixed up, now she looks like herself. She’s training good.”

◗ Joel Rosario rides.