Nafisa, trained by Bob Baffert, claimed her first stakes victory in the Grade 3 La Cañada Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, California, winning the 1 1/16-mile race for Older Fillies and Mares by nearly five lengths. Jockey Kazushi Kimura, who holds a 2-1 record with Nafisa, guided her through the early fractions of 23.65 and 47.34 seconds while trailing the pace set by stablemate Brilliantly. Nafisa overtook Brilliantly midway through the second turn, hitting six furlongs in 1:11.47 before cruising to an effortless victory. Jane Austen, ridden by Abel Rezcano and trained by Mark Glatt, made a late surge to finish second, with Brilliantly fading to third, and Ooty, another Baffert trainee, rounding out the top four.
This win marks Nafisa’s third consecutive triumph—all on dirt after originally starting her career on turf. It took 13 attempts for Nafisa to break her maiden, and she currently has a record of 3 wins in 15 starts. Just over two weeks ago, on January 9, she captured a front-running allowance race over a mile at Santa Anita. Kimura has been aboard for all of Nafisa’s recent victories.
Kimura commented, “In the last race I didn’t push for the lead; she’s naturally a wide-stride horse, so I aimed to keep her comfortable. Today, racing alongside Brilliantly, she was already cruising coming off the three-eighths pole—it felt great.”
Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, the 5-year-old filly, daughter of Quality Road out of Bluegrass Cat mare Isinkisawa Puddicat, was sold as a yearling for $1.8 million. She was bred by Mount Brilliant Farm and WS Farish and consigned by Lane’s End at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.
This victory represents Baffert’s sixth at the La Cañada Stakes, following last year’s win with Cavalieri. Baffert remarked, “She prefers longer distances on dirt. We brought her back a bit early today, and she was eager in the paddock. While I hoped for a one-two-three finish, I’m thrilled to secure the win. This is a significant accomplishment.”
Nafisa paid $6.60 to win, $4.20 to place, and $3.00 to show. Jane Austen returned $6.20 and $3.40, while Juan Hernandez, the unnamed jockey mentioned, paid $2.60.
Santa Anita’s live racing action will resume Sunday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:30 p.m. PT.
Fan Take: Nafisa’s breakthrough in a stakes race under a top trainer like Bob Baffert signals an exciting new contender on the dirt, showcasing how persistence and strategic racing can lead to big wins. This momentum not only highlights the depth of talent in the sport but also promises thrilling competition for fans looking forward to the upcoming racing season.
