Sassy Little Lila fresh for Buena Vista Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sassy Little Lila, second in the Grade 1 American Oaks here in December 2016, will have her first start for trainer Richard Mandella in what should be a competitive running of the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Sassy Little Lila was previously trained by Brad Cox and owned by Sheep Pond Partners and Michael Ryan. At the Fasig-Tipton November sale in 2017, Sassy Little Lila was listed as purchased for $600,000 by Ryan and Jeff Drown.

Sassy Little Lila arrived at Santa Anita shortly after the start of the winter-spring meeting on Dec. 26, and Mandella is enthusiastic about her first start of 2018.

“She’s had a rest and trained nicely,” Mandella said. “She doesn’t have any flashy works but has looked good doing it.”

Sassy Little Lila has not raced since finishing 12th of 14 in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 4. Last June, Sassy Little Lila was second in the Grade 1 Just a Game Stakes at Belmont Park.

By Artie Schiller, Sassy Little Lila has won 3 of 11 starts and earned $415,045 but has yet to win a stakes. The $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes is run at a mile for fillies and mares. Other projected starters are Fault, Insta Erma, Juno, Madam Dancealot, Madame Stripes, and Sweet Charity, all stakes winners.

The Buena Vista Stakes is the most prestigious of four six-figure stakes at Santa Anita through Monday’s Presidents Day program.

The stakes winners Coniah, Faypien, Selcourt, and Skye Diamonds are candidates for Sunday’s Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes, a $100,000 race for fillies and mares at six furlongs. There are two $200,000 races for California-bred 3-year-olds on Monday – the California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles and the Cal Cup Oaks at a mile on turf for fillies.