Kirstenbosch gives Kimura first Santa Anita win in La Canada
ARCADIA, Calif. – The 2023 edition of the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes was forgettable in terms of final time, but the filly-mare route, won by Kirstenbosch, will be forever memorable for her jockey.
Kazushi Kimura won his first Santa Anita race by riding Kirstenbosch ($8.60) to a minor upset in the 1 1/16-mile La Canada. Kirstenbosch defeated favorite Ganadora by a nose in a pokey final time of 1:44.19 over a “good” track that otherwise produced fast times all day.
The slow time will not matter for Kimura. He was thrilled to score his first Santa Anita victory with his 17th mount in his first season riding in California. Kimura, 23, was the runaway leading rider at Woodbine the past two seasons, and Eclipse Award winner as outstanding apprentice in 2019. This winter is his first at the Santa Anita meet; he plans to return to Woodbine in spring.
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“Any place where I decide I want to ride, I just need opportunities, right?” Kimura said.
Trainer John Sadler gave him the right opportunity in Kirstenbosch, a 4-year-old filly owned and bred by Keith Abrahams. Kimura rode her to a third-place finish Dec. 26 in the seven-furlong Grade 1 La Brea, and she improved her placing Sunday while dropping in class and stretching to two turns.
“Today was two turns, small field,” Kimura said, referring to the six-runner field. “I was just concerned about the inside hole, so I just made sure I got the break.”
Kirstenbosch broke well, but Kimura learned riding her in the La Brea that she is not particularly willing. The jockey had to stay busy; Kirstenbosch was under a ride into the far turn. She rallied outside pacesetter Ganadora in the stretch, and it took Kirstenbosch the length of the lane to drop her nose on the wire first.
The stakes win was the first for Kirstenbosch, and her third win from 10 career starts. Sired by Midnight Lute, she earned $120,000 to increase her earnings to $334,480.
Ganadora did everything but win. After being rambunctious in the starting gate, she broke outward when the gates opened, briefly dueled and then cleared the field on the first turn. She repelled the challenge of pace rival Angel Nadeshiko after a half-mile in 47.18 and six furlongs in 1:11.55. Ganadora still held a one-length lead at the eighth pole, then got nailed at the wire.
Ganadora finished 2 3/4 lengths in front of third-place Smoothlikebuttah. The fourth- through sixth-place finishers were Angel Nadeshiko, Under the Stars, and Natural Colour.
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