Three graded-placed performers are looking to up their game in the $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2) and use the Santa Anita Park stakes Oct. 7 as a springboard to an even bigger achievement next month at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
The Chandelier is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series qualifier for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), meaning the winner earns an automatic and free entry into the championship race being run Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
Laurent , trained by Peter Eurton, and Gate to Paradise , trained by John Shirreffs, come into the Chandelier off second and third place finishes, respectively, in the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1), where they ran against a blue-blooded buzzsaw named Tamara . The 6 3/4-length winner of the Debutante is the fourth foal out of multiple champion Beholder and by multiple grade 1 winner Bolt d’Oro . Tamara is being trained up to the Breeders’ Cup.
Laurent is a daughter of Practical Joke campaigned by Exline-Border Racing, Burns Racing, Aaron Kennedy and Richard Hausman. She is one of four winners among the 10 horses entered in the Chandelier. She won her debut Aug. 13 at Del Mar and followed with her second in the Debutante. She will run with blinkers for the first time in the Chandelier and have Edwin Maldonado aboard, as he was in the Debutante.
The other winners in the Chandelier field include Chatalas , Dua , and Autumn Chill .
Dan Agnew and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbreds’ Chatalas, a filly by Gun Runner , won her debut at Del Mar July 30 by half a length and next ran fourth in the Debutante.
Zedan Racing’s Dua is also a first-out winner, having found immediate success July 22 at Del Mar. The daughter of Arrogate’s next start produced a third-place finish in the Sorrento Stakes (G3). She comes into the Chandelier off an Oct. 2 six-furlong bullet work in 1:12 at Santa Anita. She is trained by Bob Baffert, who holds the record for the most Chandelier wins with 12. He last won this race in 2020 with Princess Noor
Autumn Chill, a daughter of Constitution raced by Benjamin Gase, is the only horse in the Chandelier coming into the race off a win, having taken a one-mile maiden special weight at Del Mar Aug. 27 by 4 1/4 lengths. Autumn Chill is trained by Keith Desourmeaux.
Gate to Paradise has not been lauded in the winner’s circle yet, but the daughter of Arrogate has been third twice. She runs with high expectations as a $950,000 purchase at this year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. Gate to Paradise races for CRK Stable.
Entries: Chandelier S. (G2)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 07, 2023, Race 3
- Grade II
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $200,000
- 2 yo Fillies
- 2:03 PM (local)
