Baffert aims to successfully crash the stakes ranks with Mike Pegram’s Crises of Spirit, a homebred son of Vindication who was a 3 ¼-length maiden winner on Oct. 4, and Kathleen S. Shah’s Excellent News, a California-bred daughter of Rahy who broke her maiden by 3 lengths on Oct. 10.
Trained by Marcelo Polanco for his brother, Carlos, Camille C captured Del Mar’s $100,000 Generous Portion Stakes on Sept. 2 before running second to La Nez in Oak Tree’s $100,000 California Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 3. Those two efforts boosted her earnings to $138,520 from a 2-3-1 mark in 7 starts.
Well Deserved, a winner of Hollywood Park’s Cinderella Stakes in her second start, will carry 120 pounds and be ridden by Joel Rosario. Conditioned by David Hofmans for Marc C. Ferrell, the Cactus Ridge filly finished second in Hollywood Park’s $100,000 Landaluce Stakes and a close third in the $115,000 Barretts Debutante at Fairplex Park in her last start on Sept. 19. Well Deserved’s 2-1-2 record in 5 races has produced earnings of $121,478.
The complete field for the Anoakia Stakes with jockeys and weights in post position order: Excellent News, Garrett Gomez, 118; Well Deserved, Joel Rosario, 120; Camille C, Rafael Bejarano, 122; Sandy Cheeks, Alonso Quinonez, 116, and Crisis of Spirit, Mike Smith 118.
The history of the Anoakia has stamped it as a significant proving ground for young fillies. Its alumnae include such sparkling runners as June Darling, B. Thoughtful, the brilliant Landaluce and Lady’s Secret, 1986 Horse of the Year.
On Sunday, the Anoakia will be run as the third race on a program of nine-races with first post at 12:30 p.m.