Santa Anita: Different paths for Baffert fillies

ARCADIA, Calif. – Awesome Baby, who won the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday, and stablemate Crushed Velvet, third as the favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong race, will take different paths this spring, trainer Bob Baffert said.

Awesome Baby will remain in sprints, while Crushed Velvet, who was making only her second start, will get a chance to stretch out and see if she’s an Oaks-quality filly.

The Grade 1, $300,000 Las Virgenes at one mile on Feb. 1 is the next spot for 3-year-old fillies to go two turns. After that comes the Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Ysabel at 1 1/16 miles on March 1, the final major prep for the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks on April 5.

Awesome Baby likely will have to ship, as there are no graded stakes for 3-year-old female sprinters here through mid-April. The only option locally, an unappealing one, would be to face males in the Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente going seven furlongs Feb. 16.