Jolie Olimpica trying two turns against quality opponents in Buena Vista Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – An easy win in the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes last month may only have been warm-up for the rest of 2020 for the undefeated filly Jolie Olimpica.

Perfect through four starts, Jolie Olimpica won her American debut in the Las Cienegas Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf on Jan. 11. She stalked the pace in a small field and finished clear without urging from Mike Smith. The style of the victory has left trainer Richard Mandella highly confident the 4-year-old Jolie Olimpica can handle her first start around two turns in the United States without difficulty in Saturday’s Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.

“Mike thought she was hitting her best lick when she ran short,” Mandella said. “He thinks a mile should be okay.

“She looked very professional, as she did in the morning.”

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Jolie Olimpica drew the rail in the $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes, which attracted an excellent field of 12. Aside from Jolie Olimpica, there are seven other fillies and mares who have won stakes since the start of 2019 – Brill, Carressa, Keeper Ofthe Stars, La Sardane, Lady Prancealot, Mucho Unusual, and Sold It. The other four have placed in stakes since that span – Meal Ticket, Muchly, Super Patriot, and Tiny Tina.

Lady Prancealot and Mucho Unusual were first and second in the Grade 1 American Oaks for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles on turf on Dec. 28, separated by a half-length. Mucho Unusual has won two stakes at a mile, including the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar last July.

Lady Prancealot has won three of her last five starts, all in graded stakes here and at Keeneland. She is proven at longer distances, but is a threat from off the pace in this field.

Mandella expects Jolie Olimpica to be prominent at the start of the Buena Vista, the fifth of nine races on Saturday’s program.

“She’ll probably jump right out to the lead,” he said. “We’ll leave that to Mike.”

Owned by Rick Porter, Jolie Olimpica won three starts in Brazil in 2019, including a Group 1 race against males at a mile by six lengths on June 9 in her final start in that country.

“She looked good there,” Mandella said. “Hopefully, she’ll look good here.”

Jolie Olimpica could be joined on the lead by Brill, who won the Lady of Shamrock Stakes at a mile on turf Dec. 28 in her debut on the surface and first start since July. Brill was later seventh as the 5-2 favorite in the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes against older fillies and mares on Jan. 20 after setting the pace.

The first three finishers of the Megahertz – Carressa, Super Patriot, and La Sardane – are part of the Buena Vista field.

Carressa had her turf debut in the Megahertz, closing from just off the pace. She should get a similar trip in the Buena Vista and could pose a threat to Jolie Olimpica’s unbeaten record.