Las Vegas, NV -- The 60th running of the Grade 2 Las Flores Stakes comes our way this weekend from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A $100,000 purse is up for grabs on Sunday March 11th for fillies and mares four years old and up over a distance of six and a half furlongs on Santa Anita's main track.
Six quality entrants will go in race 8 of Santa Anita's Sunday card with a post time of 4:07 PM PST. The field is headed by Sweet Home Aspen who is the prohibitive favorite in the race although there are a few intriguing prospects that could very well edge out John Sadler's four year old filly.
Below is a list of the six entries and the credentials that brought them to Sunday's Las Flores Stakes.
Sweet Home Aspen - is coming off an impressive win at the Grade 1 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita on January 28th - a win that followed up a disappointing fourth at the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes here on December 31st. Stud jockey Joel Rosario will be back in Sweet Home Aspen's saddle just as he has been in all nine of her career starts. Sweet Home Aspen has four wins and three seconds in those nine career races.
Las Flores Stakes horse betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Great Hot - Brazilian bred Great Hot appears to be Sweet Home Aspen's biggest competition in the Las Flores but is coming off a pedestrian sixth place finish at the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita on February 18th. Before that was an impressive second in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes on January 22nd and a third at the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes in a race in which she finished ahead of Sweet Home Aspen. Among Great Hot's wins are the Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar last summer and the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes in October at Keeneland. Great Hot will be ridden for the first time by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith.
She's Cheeky - has fared well in her last two starts - a third in the Grade 1 Santa Monica Stakes on January 28th last time out and a second in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar on August 21st. In 23 career starts She's Cheeky has only three wins, seven seconds and seven third place finishes.
Izzy Rules - comes in to the Las Flores on quite a role having won three straight races including a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita.
Veloce Canzone - only has two career starts, both wins - one in an Allowance race at Santa Anita on February 24th and the other a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream on January 26th 2011.
Spectacular Sky - won an Allowance Optional Claiming race at Santa Anita last time out on February 11th but before that was fifth in a similar race on January 14th. In nine career starts Spectacular Sky has two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes.
Race 8 on Santa Anita's Sunday card with a Post Time of 4:07 PM.
