Coolmore's royally bred Under the Stars (Pioneerof the Nile) looks to become the third black-type winner for her impressive dam Untouched Talent (Storm Cat) as the morning-line favorite in the GII Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita Saturday. A half-brother to Classic-winning sire Bodemeister (Empire Maker), the Bob Baffert pupil was third on debut behind the re-opposing Awake At Midnyte (Nyquist) in Arcadia Oct. 31. She filled the same spot behind stablemate and eventual GI Starlet S. winner Eda (Munnings) in Del Mar's Desi Arnaz S. Nov. 13 and broke through next out with a decisive score at Los Alamitos Dec. 11.
Awake At Midnyte followed that narrow first-out graduation on Halloween with a nose second in the turf GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar Nov. 27.
George Krikorian homebred Big Switch (Mr. Big) hopes to remain undefeated as she faces open company for the first time. A debut winner against fellow Cal-breds at Del Mar Aug. 20, the dark bay captured the Golden State Juvenile Fillies S. there Nov. 5.
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