Nafisa gives Baffert sixth La Canada victory
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ARCADIA, Calif. - More than three years after she was purchased as a yearling for $1.8 million, the 5-year-old Nafisa is steadily producing dividends.
On Saturday at Santa Anita, Nafisa extended her winning streak to three races with a comfortable victory in the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
Ridden by Kazushi Kimura, Nafisa ($6.60) closed from second in a field of six to win by 4 3/4 lengths. Nafisa, trained by Bob Baffert, stalked stablemate Brilliantly to the turn before taking the lead.
“I didn’t want to fight with the other Baffert horse,” Kimura said.
Nafisa was timed in 1:44.77 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 83.
“She had a lot left,” Kimura said.
Jane Austen (10-1) closed from fifth to finish second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of Brilliantly, the 8-5 favorite. Brilliantly set an early pace of 23.65 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.34 for a half-mile. She faded from contention through the stretch.
Ooty, another Baffert-trained runner, finished fourth, followed by So There She Was and Fugitive Star.
Nafisa gave Baffert a record sixth career win in the La Canada, which had a purse of $100,500.
By Quality Road, Nafisa races for Amr Zedan. She was the third most expensive hip at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. The most expensive hip of the auction, at $2.3 million, was Sierra Leone, who won the 2024 Breeders’ Cup Classic and won four stakes.
Nafisa, who has earned $259,820, had her stakes debut in the La Canada. She was winless in her first 12 starts – eight on turf and four on dirt from November 2023 to last October.
Nafisa won the 13th race of her career in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 23 and her first start against winners in an allowance race at a mile at Santa Anita on Jan. 9. Through the winning streak, Nafisa has earned $138,000.
Carryover of $51,027 in Sunday $2 pick six
There is a carryover of $51,027 in Sunday’s $2 pick six at Santa Anita.
The carryover was clinched when Shezmisbehaving ($13) rallied wide to win Saturday’s ninth race. Christel Clean, the 5-2 favorite who finished second, was covered in the pick six.
Sunday’s pick six covers the fourth through ninth races on a program that begins at 12:30 p.m. Pacific.
In addition to the pick six, there is a carryover of $20,514 in Sunday’s $1 super high five, which is held in the last race and requires the selection of the first five finishers.
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