La Grange runs down heavy favorite in Cinderella

CYPRESS, Calif. - The brother-to-brother advice from trainer Keith Desormeaux to jockey Kent Desormeaux was spot on regarding the prospects of the 2-year-old filly La Grange.

La Grange scored an upset win in Sunday’s $100,000 Cinderella Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos, catching 1-5 Heart of Paradise in the stretch of the six-furlong race.

“My brother said she is very nice,” Kent Desormeaux said. “She’s been hyping herself in the mornings.”

La Grange made her second start in the Cinderella, having finished second in a maiden race at Arlington Park on June 8 in her debut. Kent Desormeaux studied that race and thought he was on a different filly in the Cinderella.

“At Arlington, she was ridden through the race because of greenness,” he said. “Today, she was very handy.”

La Grange was fourth for the first quarter-mile, 1 1/2 lengths behind Heart of Paradise, who set fractions of 22.34 and 45.76 seconds through the first half-mile. La Grange rallied three-wide on the turn and challenged the favorite early in the long stretch.

La Grange ($10.60) was timed in 1:09.92.

Heart of Paradise finished 3 3/4 lengths in front of Slew’s Charm, who was followed by Abets Abet and Global Hart.

The field was reduced to five fillies after Shh She’s Ours, a maiden race winner here on July 4, was scratched after flipping in the post parade.

La Grange, by Curlin, races for Big Chief Racing and was purchased for $17,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. She has earned $67,200 in two starts.