Opus Won looks tough in competitive Santa Ana

ARCADIA, Calif. – The female turf division competes in anonymity during winter and spring at Santa Anita, this year more than ever. Trainer Richard Baltas does not mind.

Baltas seeks his fourth straight victory in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes on Saturday, but his chances to win the 1 1/4-mile turf race recently took a major hit. Baltas no longer trains Opus Won, the 3-1 favorite transferred two weeks ago to trainer Mike Puype.

Baltas could win the Santa Ana anyway with front-runner Lostintranzlation or graded-placed Super Patriot, but the most likely winner of the the race is the sharp Opus Won.

Opus Won, back-to-back allowance winner, moved to Puype on March 15. “We stepped into a filly that’s obviously in form, and she looked like she moved up when she ran two mile-and-an-eighth races, so a mile and a quarter shouldn’t hurt her,” Puype said.

Nine entered the Santa Ana, including Richard Mandella-trained stakes winners Siberian Iris and Dogtag; stakes-placed Streak of Luck, Meal Ticket, and Tiny Tina; and deep-closing upset candidate Out of Balance. It’s a wide-open race.

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Billy Koch, managing partner for owner Little Red Feather Stables, was not specific regarding the reason for the trainer change for Opus Won. “We are grateful for what Richie has done for us, we just felt a change was needed at this time,” Koch said. “And we still have a few horses with Richie that we own in partnership with him.”

One of those is Santa Ana entrant Super Patriot, but the stable’s top hope is Opus Won. She raced 10 times for Baltas, won four, and produced career-best performances this winter winning first- and second-level allowances. The difference? Time.

“We just gave her time and let her mature and grow,” Koch said. “She’s the little sister to Marckie’s Water, who just got better and better as distances increased and he got older.”

Marckie’s Water won a Grade 2 at age 5. Opus Won, 4, has more tactical speed than her brother. “Because of her natural speed, she can put herself in the right place,” Koch said.

Mario Gutierrez rides Opus Won.

Siberian Iris, 7-2 co-second choice by linemaker Jon White, won a marathon turf stakes last summer at Del Mar, recently finished third in a Grade 3 marathon, and cuts back from 1 1/2 miles. Is the 1 1/4-mile Santa Ana distance far enough?

“It should be, she’s pretty fresh,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “We’ve had little foot problems, minor things to deal with, but she’s in great shape right now.”

Rafael Bejarano rides Siberian Iris.

The circuit’s top female turf runners, including Jolie Olimpica, Keeper Ofthe Stars and Mucho Unusual, race one mile April 4 in Grade 2 Royal Heroine. The Santa Ana will produce starters for the Grade 3, 1 1/2-mile Santa Barbara Stakes on May 9.