Santa Anita: Breeders' Cup runner Pleasant leads Las Flores

Juddmonte Farms’ homebred Pleasant figures as a major player in the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita after a third-place finish in last month’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Pleasant was making her second start after a 13-month layoff when beaten by a half-length in the seven-furlong Filly & Mare Sprint. That day she attended the pace throughout, had the lead inside the final furlongs and was edged by winner Soul of an Angel and runner-up Society.

The Breeders’ Cup was Pleasant’s first start in a stakes race. When returning from her lengthy layoff in September, the 4-year-old rolled to a five-length allowance win at Los Alamitos. By Munnings, Pleasant is 5: 3-1-1 with $219,000 in earnings. Jockey Juan Hernandez, who has ridden Pleasant in all five previous starts, retains the mount.

Pushiness, a multiple stakes winner against California-breds, returns to the graded ranks for trainer Michael McCarthy and owner Mike Repole. Most recently, Pushiness set the pace before fading to third in the seven-furlong Betty Grable Stakes for statebreds Nov. 10 at Del Mar. She is 2-for-2 at Santa Anita, with an allowance win going six furlongs in October before the Betty Grable.

By Kantharos, Pushiness is 8: 4-1-2 with $272,046 in earnings. She will have regular rider Umberto Rispoli in the irons.

Richi is a second entrant for Baffert. Imported from her native Chile, where she was a Group 1 winner, Richi made her U.S. debut in the six-furlong Desert Stormer at Santa Anita in June and finished second behind graded-stakes winner Chismosa.

Richi has been working steadily since late October for her second domestic start. She will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time. By Practical Joke, Richi has an overall record of 10: 6-3-0 with $118,424 in earnings. She is owned by Hill ‘n’ Dale equine Holdings and Stud Vendaval inc.