David A Bernsen, LLC, Gainesway Stable, Rockingham Ranch and Chad Littlefield's Kalypso (Brody's Cause) became her sire's first Grade I winner with a stylish victory in the GI La Brea S. at Santa Anita Sunday. The 8-1 shot, making her first start since April, stalked the pace of Livingmybestlife (The Big Beast) through fractions of :22.11 and :44.92. Longshot Brilliant Cut (Speightstown) collared the pacesetter as they approached the stretch, but her advantage was short-lived as Kalypso ranged up three wide at the top of the lane and strode confidently to the lead before powering clear to win by 4 3/4 lengths. The time for the seven furlongs was 1:24.78.
The La Brea was the fourth win on the holiday card for jockey John Velazquez, who is wintering in California for the first time this year.
“Bob [Baffert] and I talked about it. We thought there was a lot of speed in the race and we knew she had speed, but I didn't want to be in a duel and not have anything to finish with,” Velazquez said. “I told Bob that if she has more speed, then I'm just going to let her go, let her be in the lead. I wanted to give her a chance the first part of the race and everything was really easy until I got to the three-eighths pole. I kind of got on her a little bit and she bit into the bridle, so I said, 'Alright, we're going good.' At the quarter pole, I pulled her to the clear and from then on, it was pretty easy.”
Kalypso won the GII Santa Ynez S. over the same track and distance of the La Brea in January. She was second in the GIII Las Virgenes S. and third in the GIII Santa Ysabel before going to the sidelines after bleeding and being eased in the Apr. 30 GII Eight Belles S.
“We turned her out after that Churchill Downs race,” Baffert said. “We brought her back and she was fresh. Johnny V. got her to relax. She has a tendency to go too fast. She was really relaxed today and she was one happy filly. Grade I's are hard to come by.”
The Baffert-trained Private Mission (Into Mischief) never seemed to get untracked while finishing sixth as the 3-5 favorite.
“[Private Mission] didn't run good,” Baffert said. “She was not running at all. That's not her.”
Pedigree Notes:
Kalypso is one of two graded winners to date for Brody's Cause. The Spendthrift stallion has also been represented by last year's GIII Iroquois S. winner Sittin on Go, as well as graded placed Smiley Sobotka and Girther.
Malibu Cove, a full-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Prospective, has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Hit It a Bomb. She produced a colt by Mor Spirit in 2020 (who sold for $200,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton July sale) and a colt by Jimmy Creed in 2021. She was bred back to Authentic this year.
Sunday, Santa Anita
LA BREA S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:24.78, ft.
1–KALYPSO, 122, f, 3, by Brody's Cause
1st Dam: Malibu Cove, by Malibu Moon
2nd Dam: Spirited Away, by Awesome Again
3rd Dam: Cape North, by Capote
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($240,000 Ylg '19 FTKJUL). O-David A Bernsen, LLC, Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck), Rockingham Ranch & Chad Littlefield; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R Velazquez. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 9-3-3-2, $480,600. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Brilliant Cut, 120, f, 3, by Speightstown
1st Dam: Polish a Diamond, by The Factor
2nd Dam: Tap Your Feet, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Exotic Moves, by Miswaki
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($160,000 Wlg '18 KEENOV; $160,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Boom Racing, ERJ Racing, LLC, Dave Kenney & William J Strauss; B-McCauley Farm & Speightstown Syndicate (KY); T-Doug F O'Neill. $60,000.
3–Livingmybestlife, 120, f, 3, by The Big Beast
1st Dam: Wall Street Lady, by Speightstown
2nd Dam: Epistle, by Deputy Minister
3rd Dam: Chosen Lady, by Secretariat
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Hronis Racing LLC; B-Alex & JoAnn Lieblong (FL); T-John W Sadler. $36,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1HF, HF. Odds: 8.80, 20.80, 5.30.
Also Ran: Eddie's New Dream, Canoodling, Private Mission, Missy P. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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