Sanenus possible for Beholder Mile in March

ARCADIA, Calif. - Sanenus may start in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on March 13 after recording her first American stakes win in Saturday’s Grade 3 La Canada Stakes.

Sanenus, trained by Michael McCarthy, has experience in racing at the highest level, having won the Group 1 Tanteo de Potrancas at about 7 1/2 furlongs in Chile in June 2019. She was seventh, fifth, and 12th in Group 1 races in that country later in 2019 and last February.

The $201,000 La Canada Stakes was the fourth start in the United States for Sanenus, a 5-year-old mare owned by Haras Matriarca. She was third in allowance races at Del Mar last August and at Churchill Downs last September before finishing second to Finite in the Grade 3 Chilukki Stakes at a mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 21.

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“In the last 90 days, she seems to have turned a corner,” McCarthy said.

In the La Canada at 1 1/16 miles, Sanenus (7-1) stalked 4-5 favorite Fighting Mad and Hard Not to Love through the opening half-mile before taking the lead under jockey Umberto Rispoli. Sanenus drew away to win by six lengths.

“She beat what everyone thought would be one of the leaders of the division,” McCarthy said in reference to Fighting Mad.

Hard Not to Love finished third, while Fighting Mad faded to finish fifth of seven.

McCarthy won the 2020 Beholder Mile with Ce Ce, who was later fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland on Nov. 7. Ce Ce is scheduled to return to McCarthy’s stable in coming days after being rested in late 2020.