Indian Blessing wins; Indyanne injured

ARCADIA, Calif. - Indian Blessing may be a on a championship-per-year pace.

Indian Blessing's win in Saturday's $250,000 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita was her third Grade 1 win victory of 2008 in a sprint for fillies and mares and sixth stakes win of the year. It may be enough to earn the title of champion female sprinter of 2008. In 2007, she was champion 2-year-old filly.

Regardless of championship voting, trainer Bob Baffert and owners Hal and Patti Earnhardt have grand goals for 2009. They plan to start Indian Blessing in the $2 million Golden Shaheen in Dubai on March 28. The six-furlong Golden Shaheen will be Indian Blessing's first start against males.

"I was going to run her here and then freshen her up and take her to Dubai, if all goes well," Baffert said.

Indian Blessing won the eighth stakes of her 16-month career in the La Brea Stakes, a race marred by the breakdown of Indyanne, a three-time stakes winner who set the early pace. She was pulled in the stretch and was later diagnosed with a fractured sesamoid in her left foreleg. Trainer Greg Gilchrist said on Sunday that Indyanne's prognosis is favorable and that Indyanne could be bred this winter.

Indian Blessing and Indyanne were side by side when Indyanne broke down. After the incident, Indian Blessing was kept to her task in the stretch and won by 1 1/2 lengths over 47-1 Ginger Pop. Ridden by John Velazquez, Indian Blessing ($3.20) was timed in 1:20.89. Bsharpsonata finished third in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies.

Baffert described the victory as a "bittersweet win" because of the injury suffered by Indyanne.

Indian Blessing has won 9 of 12 starts and $2,437,200. She finished second in the three races she didn't win, including the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint here on Oct. 24. Earlier this year, Indian Blessing won two Grade 1 stakes - the Prioress Stakes at Belmont Park and the Test Stakes at Saratoga.

"She's better than she was for the Breeders' Cup," Baffert said. "She's stronger now. She ran well [in the Breeders' Cup], but she didn't run like she did" on Saturday.

Flashmans Paper takes Logan

In the preceding race, Flashmans Paper won his first stakes in the United States in the $78,700 Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds. The race was marred by an incident at the eighth pole when early pacesetter Back at You attempted to jump the inside rail in the stretch.

Jockey Garrett Gomez fell heavily and was briefly hospitalized. He suffered lost teeth, a gash on his knee and a swollen hand, according to his agent. Gomez intended to return to riding on Monday after taking Sunday off.

Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Flashmans Paper ($14.20) ran a mile on turf in 1:36.61, finishing a half-length in front of Kelly Leak. Congor Bay finished third.

Flashmans Paper races for Dennis O'Neill, and is trained by his brother, Doug. Flashmans Paper has won 3 of 11 starts and $150,180. He won the Windsor Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot in England in June.