Kinza turns on the speed, cruises to Santa Ysabel win

ARCADIA, Calif. – If she was not unbeaten after three starts including two graded stakes, one might argue Kinza is too fast for her own good.

Kinza, however, is both fast and good. The 3-year-old filly put the pedal to the metal again Saturday at Santa Anita. The result was a front-running win in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes.

“She’s so fast. She won’t relax,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “But she makes up for it in her talent.”

Kinza ($3 favorite) broke running under jockey Juan Hernandez, smoked the opening half-mile in 45.98, and ran away in the stretch to win the 1 1/16-mile race by five lengths in 1:44.16. Kinza gave Baffert his fourth consecutive victory in the Santa Ysabel, and his ninth overall.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Where’s My Ring finished second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of She’s a Tempest. The order was completed by Ultimate Authority, Shiloh’s Mistress, Nay V Belle (5.30-1 second choice) and Pacific Rose. Ifuaintfirsturlast was eased.

Sired by Carpe Diem and owned by Michael Lund Peterson, Kinza is a different filly in the afternoon than she is in the morning. Baffert said, “In the mornings, she’s good. She works by herself, nice, a minute, no problem.”

It’s a different story in the afternoon. Baffert said Kinza is “tough to saddle, that’s just the way she is.”

She is on her way to the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 6. “That’s her next spot,” Baffert said. “I’d rather run her than breeze her.”

They’ll have to catch her to beat her. Saturday at Santa Anita, no one could.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.