Baffert has four in Santa Ynez

ARCADIA, Calif. – A filly trained by Bob Baffert will be favored to win Sunday’s Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita, but the runner may not be known until raceday.

Varda, the winner of the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 5, is one of four Baffert-trained 3-year-old fillies in a field of seven in the $200,000 Santa Ynez at seven furlongs. Baffert cautioned on Thursday afternoon, shortly after entries were completed, that Varda may not start.

“I don’t know if she’s going to run,” Baffert said. “We entered to take a look.”

If Varda runs, she has a chance to confirm her status as a division leader in California, a group that has changed considerably in the last month.

Varda closed from last of five to win the 1 1/16-mile Starlet Stakes, prevailing in shocking circumstances. In early stretch, the Baffert-trained Princess Noor, a two-time stakes winner in September, was pulled up with an injury that led to her retirement. Princess Noor was the 3-5 favorite in the Starlet.

The Starlet was Varda’s third start. She won her debut in a maiden special weight race at six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 30 and was a well-beaten second to Princess Noor in the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 26. Owned by Baoma Corp., Varda was scratched from the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 14.

Baffert finished first and second in the Starlet. Kalypso, the winner of the Anoakia Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita in October, inherited the lead from Princess Noor, but could not hold off Varda.

Kalypso has the outside post in the Santa Ynez, and could gain the role of favorite if Varda does not start.

“She’ll run for sure,” Baffert said. “She has speed and has been working well. She’ll like that distance.”

Kalypso has worked twice since the Starlet, including a half-mile in 47.20 seconds on Dec. 27.

Baffert also has entered the promising maiden race winner Exotic West and Frosteria, a maiden after three starts.

Exotic West won her lone start, which came at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 21. She disputed the pace throughout.

“That’s a good spot for her,” Baffert said of Sunday’s race. “She wants to go farther.”

The Santa Ynez is the second start in a stakes for Nasreddine, who was third in the Starlet.

Nasreddine was second in her debut in a maiden special weight race at Santa Anita on Oct. 3 and won a similar race at Del Mar on Nov. 7. In the Starlet, Nasreddine was third through the stretch, beaten 5 1/2 lengths by Varda.

“I thought both of her races sprinting were very good,” trainer Michael McCarthy said.

The other starters in the Santa Ynez are Queengol, second in the Anoakia and Desi Arnaz, and Brilliant Cut, the winner of a $50,000 claimer for maidens at Del Mar on Nov. 20.