Kalypso heads Las Virgenes; Feeling Mischief, Gulf Coast seek Oaks points in Suncoast

Feb 04, 2021 by James Scully/TwinSpires.com

Kalypso picked up 10 points toward a Kentucky Oaks berth with an easy win in the Jan. 3 Santa Ynez S. (G2), and the Bob Baffert-trained filly will seek her second straight qualifier in the $200,000 Las Virgenes S. (G3) at Santa Anita.

The $150,000 Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs is also part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series on Feb. 6. Both races award points on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the top four finishers.

Kalypso will meet four rivals in the one-mile Las Virgenes. A $240,000 yearling purchase, the Brody’s Cause filly broke her maiden when taking the Anoakia S. in her third start last October. The chestnut followed with a runner-up effort in the Starlet S. (G1) in early December, Kalypso rolled to a 1 3/4-length decision in the seven-furlong Santa Ynez. Joel Rosario rides.

Three last-out maiden winners will jump to stakes competition, including Moonlight d’Oro, who registered a 94 Brisnet Speed rating when graduating by three lengths at Los Alamitos on Dec. 13. Flavien Prat retains the mount.

Moraz exits an 11-length romp at Santa Anita on Jan. 8, and Honor America scored by a nose two days later. Santa Ynez third-placer Brilliant Cut rounds out the cast.

In the Suncoast, stakes winners Feeling Mischief and Gulf Coast will meet again over a mile and 70 yards.

Feeling Mischief defeated her rival when taking the six-furlong Sandpiper S. at Tampa in early December, and Into Mischief filly exits a third as the favorite in the seven-furlong Gasparilla S. on Jan. 16. Jesus Castanon rides for Michael Campbell.

Gulf Coast opted for the Jan. 1 Cash Run S. at Gulfstream over the Gasparilla, and the Union Rags filly recorded a half-length victory for Rodolphe Brisset. Julien Leparoux rides.

Special Princess, dead-heat winner of the Gasparilla at 11-1 odds, is also back for the Suncoast.

Other contenders in the 10-horse field include Honorifique, a sharp maiden winner in her juvenile finale at Churchill Downs and second in the Cash Run; Curlin’s Catch, who invades for Mark Casse following a 2 3/4-length maiden tally at Gulfstream; and Woodbine turf stakes winner Il Malocchio, who will make her three-year-old debut for new trainer Kenny McPeek.