Longshot Century Park wires Santa Ysabel

ARCADIA, Calif. - Century Park led throughout the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday, winning the first stakes of her career.

Her reward? A likely start against division leader Stardom Bound in the $300,000 Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 7 or the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks on March 7.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Century Park ($51.40) led throughout the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel, setting early fractions of 24.47 and 48.83. Century Park led by at least a length throughout and got a mild threat in the stretch from 3-1 favorite Haka, who was in traffic on the turn. Century Park won by a length, finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.32.

"She got a breather on the turn," Baze said.

Haka, making her stakes debut, finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of Will O Way in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies.

Century Park is trained by Bob Baffert, who had three of the starters. Toro Bonito finished seventh, while Jemmealey was last.

"I wanted to run 1-2-3," Baffert said. Century Park "got the best trip of all of them."

Owned by breeder Donald Dizney, Century Park has won 2 of 7 starts and $109,360. She needed five races to beat maidens, finally doing so at Hollywood Park in November.