Non Compliant heads Baffert trifecta in Oak Leaf Stakes
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ARCADIA, Calif. – The filly Non Compliant was very much in agreement with jockey Juan Hernandez through Saturday’s Grade 2 Oak Leaf Stakes at Santa Anita.
Racing in third on the backstretch, Non Compliant stalked stablemate Nooni to the turn, took the lead from that rival in early stretch, and pulled clear to win her stakes debut by 2 1/4 lengths in the $200,500 race.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert swept the top three positions in the field of six 2-year-old fillies. Nooni (3-1) held second, while 2-1 Tenma finished third.
The win leaves Non Compliant as the leading West Coast candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Nov. 1. With her win Saturday, Non Compliant earned a fees-paid berth into the BC Juvenile Fillies.
Sent off favored, Non Compliant ($4) ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.08 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 81.
“She was a little aggressive out of the gate, but on the backstretch she relaxed really well,” Hernandez said. “I was comfortable where I was. She picked it up very well. Nooni didn’t want to stop.”
Non Compliant, who races for Georgia Antley Hunt, Jeff Giglio, and John Rogitz, is by Tiz the Law and is unbeaten in two starts, having won a maiden race at six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 31. Non Compliant has earned $165,000.
“I think this will move her forward,” Baffert said of Saturday’s win.
Nooni, who won the Grade 3 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 10 and was fifth as the 1-2 favorite behind Tenma in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 7, finished 8 1/4 lengths clear of Tenma, who never posed a threat.
“Nooni tried today,” Baffert said in the winner’s circle. “I was disappointed in her last out.”
In the Air Tonight, Showers, and Om N Joy completed the order of finish. Jack’s Magic Girl and Rio Del Sol were scratched.
Baffert has won the Oak Leaf Stakes a record 13 times, eight times when it was known as the Oak Leaf Stakes from his first win in the race in 1997 through 2007 and five times since 2012 when the race was known as the Chandelier Stakes. Baffert more recently won the Chandelier in 2020 with Princess Noor.
The Chandelier was renamed the Oak Leaf Stakes this year in honor of a contribution to the purse from the Oak Tree Racing Association, which operated the fall meeting at Santa Anita from 1969 to 2009 and later ran meetings at Hollywood Park and the Alameda county fair in Pleasanton.
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