Ellafitz to go for a Grade 1 win in the Santa Margarita Stakes
The 5-year-old Bob Baffert trained mare, Ellafitz, is set to aim high after turning in an impressive hat-trick which she completed this year in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita Park’s dirt course, but now she is looking for Grade 1 glory as
she sets herself up for the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes on 17 March, 2012, over at Santa Anita Park’s dirt course, over a distance of 1 1/8 miles against 5 other 4-year-old and above females.
D and E Racing’s Ellafitz is a late bloomer, and have already gone on to post two back to back victories in the current meet, and she is looking solid to extend her own and the meet’s winning streak, which was started in the Grade 2 Bayakoa Handicap over
Hollywood Park’s cushion track at about 1 1/16 miles on 4 December, 2011.
She defeated Miss Mittagong in second and Bauble Queen in third, while she covered the distance in 1 minute and 42.69 seconds.
The Kentucky bred daughter of Tiznow, Ellafitz started her new campaign with a win in the Paseana Handicap at Santa Anita Park’s dirt course at 1 1/16 miles on 15 January, 2012.
The 5-year-old was awesome in that race as she got into good rhythm in the stretch to defeat Downhill Diva and Spirit Seeker, who finished second and third respectively, while Ellafitz downed her favoured distance in 1 minute and 43.67 seconds.
Out of mare Skat Girl by Dixieland Band, Ellafitz was running for her hat-trick in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on 18 February, 2012, where she downed the likes of Miss Mittagong in second yet again.
Baffert said, “Ellafitz runs hard, she runs fast. Last time, they took all kinds of shots at her. She took a lot of heat and kept going. They sent a rabbit out there, but my mare is doing better for this race than she was before the last race.”
The Santa Anita’s premier race for older fillies, Santa Margarita Stakes on 17 March could have an off track with the likelihood of rain, as the weather channel reported that there is 60%chance of rain.
Tags: