Gallagher's strategy with Angel Nadeshiko gives him happy ending to 2023

ARCADIA, Calif. - Trainer Paddy Gallagher’s final win of 2023 at Santa Anita occurred via an experiment, of sorts.

Angel Nadeshiko recorded an upset win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Robert Frankel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares at Santa Anita by leading throughout.

In recent starts, Angel Nadeshiko had raced from off the pace. She was sent to the front in the $100,500 Frankel Stakes, led by a length on the backstretch and by two lengths in the stretch before holding off a late run from 8-5 favorite Lakota Spirit to win by three-quarters of a length.

“We were in the right place at the right time and we were glad we were there,” Gallagher said.

The win was Gallagher’s first in a stakes since the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks with Red Lark in August 2020, and first in a stakes at Santa Anita since La Force won the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes in June 2019.

“It was needed,” Gallagher said.

Owned by US Equine, Angel Nadeshiko has won 3 of 16 starts and earned $227,780. A 5-year-old mare in 2024, Angel Nadeshiko will remain in training in 2024, Gallagher said.

Kinza stars in debut

Kinza joined the list of highly promising California-based 3-year-old fillies for 2024 with a brilliant win in her debut in a maiden race on Friday.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Kinza was always near the front in the six-furlong race and won by 7 1/2 lengths in 1:09.79. She earned an attractive Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Michael Lund Petersen, Kinza was purchased for $350,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training in Maryland in May.

Kinza, by Carpe Diem, is out of Secret Wonder, by Quality Road, who won her fifth and final career start in a $10,000 claiming race for maidens at Delta Downs in 2018.

Baffert said in a text message on Sunday that he has no immediate race plans for Kinza.

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