From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Feb. 28, 2022)—Never better at age five, William Sims’ speedy Leggs Galore will hope to make every pole a winning one as she heads a field of 11 older fillies and mares going one mile on turf in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita.
Long gone in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course Jan. 15, a race she took by 2 ¼ lengths, California-bred Leggs Galore, a four-time stakes winner, will be seeking her first graded win at a distance at which she has a win and a second place finish from three tries.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, the William Sims’ homebred Leggs Galore was given recovery time following a fourth place finish in the one mile turf Solana Beach Stakes two starts back on Aug. 15 and she’s come back to the races in top form, evidenced by her 95 Beyer Speed Figure in her Jan. 15 romp.
With classy fellow Cal-bred Mucho Unusual and others in a talent-laden field, Leggs Galore will hope to get into a steady rhythm heading up the backside under regular rider Ricky Gonzalez, who has been aboard for all seven of her wins.
Out of the Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore is a 5-year-old mare by 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Bayern who brings a 12-7-1-0 mark and earnings of $440,208 to the Buena Vista.
Class personified, George Krikorian’s homebred Mucho Unusual, a Grade I winner with earnings of $945,415, shortens up out of a third place finish going a mile and one eighth on turf in the Grade III Robert J. Frankel Stakes Jan. 1 and with four wins, a second and three thirds from nine tries at one mile on turf, will plenty tough to beat in what will be her 24th career start.
A 6-year-old mare by Mucho Macho Man out of the Unusual Heat mare Not Unusual, Mucho Unusual was a close second in last year’s Buena Vista and with John Velazquez riding her back, could certainly go as the post time favorite. With an enviable Santa Anita turf record of 13-6-3-4, she’s trained by Tim Yakteen and is 23-8-5-5 overall.
Yet another California-bred, Harris Farms’ late running homebred Closing Remarks, rates strong consideration on Saturday. Trained by Carla Gaines and graded stakes placed on three occasions, she comes off a big come from behind turf allowance win going a mile and one eighth on Jan. 17 and could prove dangerous late with Joe Bravo riding back on Saturday.