La Brea

Santa Anita will host the 32nd running of the $250,000 La Brea S. (G1) on Monday. A field of 11 three-year-old fillies will be led to
the gate in the seven furlong affair. YEARLY REPORT (General Meeting) is listed
as the 6-5 morning-line favorite, but we will attempt to beat her with BENDING
STRINGS (American Chance).

Bending Strings lost a nose decision last out in the Top Flight H. (G2)
after winning both the Safely Kept Breeders’ Cup H. (G3) and the First Flight H.
(G2). The Kiaran McLaughlin charge should fare well here due to the speed which
presents itself in this race. ALPHABET KISSES (Alphabet Soup) and SALTY ROMANCE
(Salt Lake) both look to vie for the early lead, and may see SUSAN’S ANGEL (Cape
Town) join the dogfight. Bending Strings has shown her best performances while
coming from just off the tempo and if jockey Victor Espinoza paces her, chances
are good for a trip to the winner’s circle.

Yearly Report will be coming off a 59-day layoff to attempt her second-straight stakes score. The Bob Baffert-trained filly exits a 9 1/4-length thumping of
her opponents in the Stonersided S., a trip in which she earned the highest BRIS
Speed figure of her career, garnering a 109. The bay filly has landed on the
board in all three of her starts in Arcadia, California and owns two wins at
seven furlongs. Jerry Bailey, who has four victories aboard the filly, has the
call.

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Susan’s Angel held on for second in the Falls City
H. (G2) after pressing the pace and falling short in her stretch run. The
shorter distance could be a benefit here if she is to go to the front again.
Although the dark bay filly has shown greater success at the longer distances, with her
talent, she should place in the top three of this race. Tyler Baze has the
reins.

MEA DOMINA (Dance Brightly) is coming off a short two-month rest on the
shelf, but is returning here for her first graded stakes challenge. She returns
with jockey Gary Stevens, who guided the filly to a two-length win last out in the
Harold C. Ramser Senior H. After a trio of runner-up
finishes in her first three starts at 6 1/2 furlongs, Mea Domina broker her
maiden two back after being stretched out on the turf. Trainer Ronald McAnally
returns the filly to the dirt here, but could still manage to hold on to part.

ELUSIVE DIVA (Elusive Quality) is coming off a four-month layoff and comes off a
poor trip in the Test S. (G1), eventually coming home 16 1/2 lengths back on a
muddy track. She has remarkable speed on the back end, having earned three
consecutive E2 ratings which topped the century mark. The blinkers come off for
the La Brea, and some sharp workouts of late make her a contender.

SWEET LIPS (Kris S.) has dominated the allowance ranks lately, winning her
last four, and steps up here for her stakes debut. Conditioned by Bobby Frankel,
the filly started her racing career on the Santa Anita dirt, coming in third,
and broke her maiden in her next trip out over the lawn. Despite the jump in
class, she still has a shot to land on the board.

AMORAMA (Fr) (Sri Pekan) won the Del Mar Oaks (G1) earlier this year, placed fifth
in the Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) and sat on the shelf for the two months following that race. The dark bay filly has yet to try a race under a mile while in the
United States and will probably come up short in the end. Alphabet Kisses will
most likely take a run for the front. This has a chance of putting her in danger
as the wire gets closer when the closers are in their element.

Salty Romance finished 20 1/2 lengths back last out versus weaker
competition. The Patrick Biancone trainee won a race at this distance two back,
but versus allowance opposition. COSTUME DESIGNER (Capote) only has one start on
the dirt in her first trip out. The result was a third place outing five lengths
behind the leader. We are betting against the dark bay. NYRAMBA (GB) (Night Shift) has one
race under her belt in the United States. Performances in her homeland have not been
impressive enough to warrant a money spot in this one.

TIZAKITTY (Distinctive Cat) and IFLOOKSCOULDKILL (Wild Escapade) were
scratched from the race.