Having only Princess Noor in the $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2), fresh off a 6 1/2-length win in a grade 1 stakes, would have provided trainer Bob Baffert a strong enough hand in the "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).
Baffert, however, will saddle three of the Santa Anita Park race's five entries. Joining Zedan Racing Stables' Princess Noor will be Baoma Corp.'s Varda and Illumination, who is owned by George Bolton, Peter Leidel, Peter and Karin Leidel, Barry Lipman, and Kerri Radcliffe.
"It's a grade 1. When you have a grade 1 that's 100 yards away from your barn, you have to take a shot," Baffert said.
Princess Noor, a daughter of Not This Time who sold for $1.35 million at this year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is undefeated in two starts. She broke her maiden Aug. 22 by 2 1/2 lengths and then romped in the Sept. 6 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1). She will be ridden by Victor Espinoza, who has been in the saddle for her previous starts.
While Baffert said Princess Noor has "brilliant speed," he is anticipating she'll to have to work harder than she did at Del Mar.
"This track, it's demanding. It's a very deep track," Baffert said. "They're slowing tightening it back up, but it's going to be demanding on them."
Varda, a daughter of Distorted Humor whom agent Donato Lanni bought for $700,000 from Niall Brennan Stables at the OBS Spring sale, won her debut Aug. 30 by 3 1/4 lengths going six furlongs with jockey Drayden Van Dyke, who will ride her in the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier. Baffert expects Varda to welcome the added distance.
"You watch her in the mornings; she just kind of struggles with the track in the mornings," he said. "Her maiden race was really impressive though. She'll love the two turns."
Illumination is still seeking her first win, but she's placed in her two starts so far. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro was second in her debut going 5 1/2 furlongs Aug. 15 and then took a big step up with a third in the Del Mar Debutante. Baffert said he expects her to relish the longer distance of the Chandelier, too. Radcliffe bought Illumination in 2019 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's select yearling sale, for $900,000 from Eaton Sales.
Owner Gary Barber and trainer Mark Casse have the most experienced contender in the field with Make Mischief, a New York-bred daughter of Into Mischief who has a win and three seconds from four starts to date. She won her debut June 18 at Belmont Park and then followed with runner-up efforts in the Schuylerville Stakes (G3), Adirondack Stakes (G2), and Seeking the Ante Stakes.
Trainer Richard Baltas brings in the fifth Chandelier contender with first-out winner Miss Costa Rica, a daughter of Hit It a Bomb who is co-owned by Baltas along with Carroll Boys Racing, Sayjay Racing, and Jerry McClanahan. Miss Costa Rica debuted Aug. 28 on the turf at Del Mar, where she won by 1 1/4 lengths.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, September 26, 2020, Race 3Entries: Chandelier S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Princess Noor (KY) Victor Espinoza 122 Bob Baffert 2/5 2 2Make Mischief (NY) Abel Cedillo 122 Mark E. Casse 5/1 3 3Varda (NY) Drayden Van Dyke 122 Bob Baffert 8/1 4 4Illumination (KY) Luis Saez 122 Bob Baffert 6/1 5 5Miss Costa Rica (KY) Flavien Prat 122 Richard Baltas 6/1
