Thermal Set to Heat Up in Las Flores

Opportune black type awaits some of the five fillies and mares contesting the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes (G3) Jan. 4 at Santa Anita Park. Not one is a stakes winner in North America, though Ooty (ARG) captured a group 1 in her native Argentina in 2024 before her import to the United States. Of the others, only Thermal, who showed when sent to Woodbine for a stakes race for Ontario-breds in September, has existing North American black type. Matched against a field that includes two fillies exiting only maiden victories, Thermal is likely to be favored. After her third in the restricted Zadracarta Stakes at Woodbine in a turf sprint, trainer John Sadler returned her to dirt in Southern California, where she smoked first-level allowance optional claimers Oct. 17 at Santa Anita. Racing over the same distance as the Las Flores, the now 5-year-old Nyquist mare sped 6 furlongs in 1:08.89 under Hector Berrios, earning a career-best 105 Equibase Speed Figure. Increasing her advantage throughout while racing on the lead, she scored by 3 3/4 lengths, improving to 2-0-4 in 11 starts for owners By Talla Racing and John W. Sadler Racing. Her principal foes are Magnificat, a daughter of Omaha Beach with two wins from three starts for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, and the Bob Baffert-trained Ooty, who was freshened after twice being introduced to United States racing by facing eventual Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) winner Splendora over the summer at Del Mar. Rain, which caused Santa Anita to cancel racing Dec. 31-Jan. 1, is forecast to continue this weekend and could impact racing or track conditions.