Killer Graces, Charm the Maker Renew Rivalry

Santa Anita's 45th running of the Grade III, $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles includes Grade I Hollywood Starlet winner Killer Graces and runner-up Charm the Maker. They will face flashy Eden’s Moon, who broke her maiden by 11 ½ lengths for trainer Bob Baffert while going one mile on Jan. 8.

Killer Graces and Charm the Maker renew their rivalry in the Santa Ysabel. Charm the Maker came out 1 ¼ lengths ahead when winning Hollywood Park’s Sharp Cat Stakes on Nov. 13 before Killer Graces turned the tables by one-half length in the Grade I Starlet on Dec. 10. Both have been freshened since then.

Joe Talamo is the regular rider for Killer Graces, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for a partnership. The Congaree offspring has earned $394,830 from a 3-3-0 mark in 8 starts. Rafael Bejarano replaces Gomez atop homebred Charm the Maker, who is trained by Ron McAnally and owned by his wife, Deborah. The Empire Maker filly has posted a 2-1-1 record in 4 starts for winnings of $208,200.

Kaleem Shah purchased Eden’s Moon at auction for $390,000 last May. The daughter of Malibu Moon was 2-5 when beaten by well-regarded Reneesgotzip in her six-furlong debut last December at Hollywood Park. When stretched out to one mile at Santa Anita on Jan. 8, she demolished her opposition. Martin Garcia has the return riding assignment as Eden’s Moon steps into graded stakes competition.

The complete field for the Santa Ysabel Stakes, with jockeys and weights in post position order: Coup de Coeur, Rosario, 118; Eden’s Moon, Martin Garcia, 118; Batalha, Chantal Sutherland, 118; Willa B Awesome, Martin Pedroza, 118; Lady of Shamrock, Smith, 118; Killer Graces, Talamo, 123, and Charm the Maker, Bejarano, 118.