Doña Clota carries the Chilean and South American dream into the Rodeo Drive Stakes
The Resolute Racing colorbearer will seek a ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita Park, with Gamely Stakes winner Thought Process standing as the main form reference
ARCADIA, California (Special for Turf Diario).— A single victory separates Doña Clota from securing a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). The Chilean-bred mare will get a high-stakes opportunity this Saturday at Santa Anita Park, where she stands among 11 entrants in the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2), contested over 2,000 meters on the turf for a $200,000 purse.
As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, the race awards its winner an automatic berth with fees paid to the $2 million championship event on October 31 at Keeneland. That incentive explains the presence of out-of-town invaders ready to challenge the local California turf specialists.
Among them is Doña Clota, the daughter of Ivan Denisovich who carries the colors of Resolute Racing under the care of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.. A G1 winner in her homeland and a G3 winner during her American campaign, the 5-year-old mare will seek another leap in quality, this time with Micah Husbands in the saddle.
Her most recent effort yielded a fifth-place finish in the Ladies Marathon Stakes (G3) on September 6 over roughly 2,100 meters at Kentucky Downs. Returning to 2,000 meters and shifting to a new venue presents a fresh test for the South American, who brings a career record of 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 3 thirds from 19 starts, along with $336,777 in earnings.
The task will be formidable, largely due to the presence of Thought Process, who aims to get back on the winning track following an unexpected defeat. Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2) at Del Mar on September 7, she finished second, one length behind the winner over 1,800 meters.
The Phil D’Amato trainee nevertheless possesses strong credentials to support her status as the race favorite. In May, she captured the Gamely Stakes (G1) over 1,800 meters over this exact Santa Anita turf course. Now she must stretch that effectiveness out to a slightly longer trip, once again with Chilean jockey Héctor Berríos aboard.
A 4-year-old daughter of Collected, Thought Process boasts 7 wins from just 11 career starts, alongside 1 second, 2 thirds, and $730,200 in earnings for the Estate of Brereton C. Jones, Little Red Feather Racing, and Madaket Stables.
Another visitor with high ambitions is Vronti, conditioned by Graham Motion for Andrew Stone. The English-bred daughter of Night of Thunder comes off an August victory in the CTT and TOC Stakes (L) at Del Mar over 2,200 meters and will have the services of Juan Hernández. This will mark her third California start of the season, having previously finished a non-threatening fifth in the Gamely.
Facing a proven track G1 winner and another rival entering off a victory over longer distances, Doña Clota will need to produce one of her finest efforts. The reward easily justifies the journey: a high-profile win for her career and a direct passport to the championship stage at Keeneland.
