Wakanaka makes hillside debut for new stable in Las Cienegas

ARCADIA, Calif. – Wakanaka, a two-time stakes winner in 2022, was transferred to trainer Michael McCarthy last month with the intent of starting in races such as Sunday’s Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes at Santa Anita.

The $100,000 Las Cienegas, for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course, plays to one of Wakanaka’s strengths. The 6-year-old mare is highly effective from off the pace as she showed with 2022 wins in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly Stakes at Woodbine and the Fall Harvest Stakes at Keeneland.

The style nearly worked in the Grade 2 Ladies Turf Sprint at 6 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs last September when Wakanaka rallied from last of seven to finish second by a neck.

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Previously trained by Bill Mott, Wakanaka races for the Team Valor International partnership and Gary Barber. She has won 8 of 22 starts and earned $913,575, by far the highest earnings of Sunday’s field.

The Las Cienegas will be Wakanaka’s first start since she finished 11th, beaten 5 1/2 lengths, in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 3.

“She was sent out here with the intent to run down the hill,” new trainer McCarthy said. “She’s trained sharply. She’s a quality filly.”

The Las Cienegas will not be an easy race to win. The race has drawn a full field of 11, with several leading contenders.

Elm Drive won the Mizdirection Stakes on the hillside turf course last May. Honey Pants was a troubled fifth against males in the Stormy Liberal Stakes at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar last month.

Kissed by Fire will have her turf stakes debut after winning three consecutive starts in turf sprints, a maiden race and two allowance races. Nadette closed well to be third in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes at Del Mar in November.

The Las Cienegas should have a strong pace due to the presence of runners such as Fast and Shiny, who won the Angels Flight Stakes on the hillside turf course last May; and the speedy Kissed by Fire.

A true pace will help Honey Pants, who was second to Mizdirection last May in her debut on the hillside. She raced in traffic on the turn of the Stormy Liberal Stakes.

“That was much better than looked,” trainer Phil D’Amato said. “She did get into trouble and had to check a couple of times. I think back with the girls and at her proper distance she’s ready to go. She’ll get the distance that she wants.”

D’Amato also starts Elm Drive and Benedict Canyon and has Adaay In Asia as the lone mare on the also-eligible list.

Elm Drive, a four-time stakes winner, was seventh by three lengths in the Matriarch. She is expected to race as a stalker.

“I think she’s versatile,” D’Amato said. “She seems to figure in big races down the hill.”

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