Santa Anita: Broken Sword faces important test in La Canada

ARCADIA, Calif. – When the top 3-year-old filly in California last year returns for a 2014 campaign at age 4, the speedy Beholder might have company on the front end.

Beholder, however, is still weeks away from her comeback, and the pace showdown will occur only if front-runner Broken Sword passes an important test Sunday at Santa Anita.

Seven entered the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies, with Broken Sword likely to be loose on the lead. The challenge: The 1 1/16-mile La Canada is the first start on dirt for Broken Sword since her career debut for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and assistant Dan Ward in summer 2012.

“I’ve been waiting to see her on dirt since her debut when she won by 11,” Ward said. “Now she finally is, so we’ll see.”

Expectations are that Broken Sword will reproduce her blowout victory in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Stakes on Dec. 7 at Hollywood Park. If she maintains that form, Broken Sword and jockey Rafael Bejarano could be long gone in the La Canada.

“Certainly her style won’t hurt on this track,” Ward said, alluding to a Santa Anita profile generally kind to speed. Through Thursday, eight of 11 races at 1 1/16 miles have been won by horses within one length of the lead after the first half-mile. Three were won by the pacesetter. While the profile is not severe, deep closers are up against it.

Fiftyshadesofhay, normally a presser, became a closer by accident last out. Even-money favorite in the Bayakoa, Fiftyshadesofhay broke slowly, got shuffled, pulled while rank behind horses, and ultimately found herself next-to-last. Fiftyshadesofhay weaved through traffic on the far turn, narrowed the gap, but made little impact behind 4 1/4-length winner Broken Sword. It was a nightmare trip for Fiftyshadesofhay.

Bob Baffert trains Fiftyshadesofhay, who will have a new jockey Sunday. Mike Smith will ride Fiftyshadesofhay for the first time; Martin Garcia moves to the second Baffert entrant, Ondine.

Broken Sword, 3 for 8, and Fiftyshadesofhay, 4 for 13, are the La Canada principals Sunday. Hollendorfer also entered Let Faith Arise, a 4-for-7 sprinter making her first start since early November. Others in the field include Oscar Party, Spellbound, and Rathbaun.

Broken Sword has been a project for Hollendorfer and Ward, which is why she is stabled in the quieter atmosphere at Golden Gate, returning to Southern California only to race.

“She’s quirky,” Ward said. “Here [at Santa Anita], she’ll stop, she’ll prop, she’ll bolt. She’s kind of funny.”

The first time Hollendorfer ran Broken Sword long, a one-mile optional-claiming race last summer at Hollywood, she was on her way to victory but veered out sharply in deep stretch and finished third. By autumn, Hollendorfer and Ward had figured out how she wants to run.

“Sometimes you try to teach them, working behind horses,” Ward said. “We should have just let her run on the lead. Our mistake.”

The next Santa Anita dirt stakes for fillies and mares is the Grade 2 Santa Maria on Feb. 15, followed by the Grade 1 Santa Margarita on March 15. The Santa Margarita is a possible target for Beholder’s comeback.

Currently in light training at a nearby layup center, Beholder is expected to return to Santa Anita later this month.