Noted and Quoted can make launchpad of Sunland Oaks

Trainer Bob Baffert has a smart response when asked why Grade 1 winner Noted and Quoted will launch her 3-year-old season on the road Sunday, traveling from her Southern California base to New Mexico for the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks.

“There’s a filly by the name of Unique Bella out here … ”

Unique Bella has won three straight graded stakes by a total of 18 lengths this year at Santa Anita, sending some of her contemporaries elsewhere to avoid a clash with the titan until the Kentucky Oaks. The Sunland Oaks could send runners into that battle May 5, as the first four finishers from Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile race will earn Kentucky Oaks qualifying points on a scale of 50-20-10-5.

The Sunland Oaks drew a field of seven, with Noted and Quoted the bear who scared some away Sunday.

Sunland Oaks (Race 7)

KEY CONTENDERS

Noted and Quoted, by The Factor
Last 3 Beyers: 62-80-69

◗ She became a Grade 1 winner in October, when she won the Chandelier in her two-turn debut at Santa Anita. Noted and Quoted advanced to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and set the pace for a good portion of the race before finishing seventh in what was her last start, on Nov. 5. For her return, Noted and Quoted has been working at Santa Anita, and the Sunland Oaks was the right fit for her at this time, Baffert said.

“The thing about it is we freshened her up,” he said. “It’s a good spot stretching out off the freshening. We’ve had good luck going to Sunland.”

◗ Baffert has won a record seven of the 12 runnings of the Sunland Oaks. He pulled a Sunland Oaks-Kentucky Oaks double in 2011 with Plum Pretty.

◗ Martin Garcia has the mount from the rail for Speedway Stable.

Ghalia, by Medaglia d’Oro
Beyers: 80-79

◗ She has won a maiden special weight and an allowance this year at Gulfstream and shares some similarities with stablemate Malagacy, who last weekend won the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn.

“She’s 2 for 2, both sprinting, for the same connections as Malagacy, Sumaya U.S. Stable, so we’re trying to do the same thing – stretch out off two sprints – and see how that works,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “She’s been a promising filly. She’s a very well-bred filly, and she’s got good tactical speed, which seems to be an asset at Sunland. We’ll see if she handles the stretch-out in distance and step up in class.”

◗ Jose Ortiz has the mount from post 3.

What What What, by Archarcharch
Last 3 Beyers: 69-76-78

◗ She was fifth last out to Unique Bella in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel on March 4 at Santa Anita and earlier in the year was an allowance winner at Fair Grounds.

“She’s a proven two-turn dirt horse,” trainer Doug O’Neill said. “She’s got tactical speed, can be on the lead or near it. She’s an honest, hard-trying filly.”

◗ Mario Gutierrez has the mount from post 6.

McKenzie Honey, by Parading
Last 3 Beyers: 60-64-47

◗ She has won five of nine starts, with four of her victories coming in stakes.

◗ McKenzie Honey is unbeaten at two turns, with both of her route races being stakes wins at Turf Paradise.