[brock]

Place bet should be safe, but remember this is horse racing.

By STEVE ANDERSEN

Gary I. Rothstein/EQUI-PHOTOS
Indian Blessing has easily won her first three races, including the BC Juvenile Fillies (above).
ARCADIA, Calif. - Perfect in three starts, Indian Blessing has had an easy career so far.

In a maiden race at Saratoga in August, the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont Park, and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Monmouth Park in October, she was never challenged, winning by a combined 13 1/4 lengths.

It is hard to see that trend being reversed when Indian Blessing makes her 3-year-old debut in Sunday's $150,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita. The seven-furlong distance is ideal for Indian Blessing, the sort of filly who has the speed necessary to be prominent from the start.

"She just cruises in all her races," trainer Bob Baffert said.

Indian Blessing will be a heavy favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez, as she has been in all of her starts.

The Santa Ynez is the first of three stakes on an 11-race program. The card also includes two races for females over 1 1/16 miles - the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and the $150,000 El Encino Stakes for 4-year-old fillies.

Indian Blessing has recorded remarkably fast works for her first start since Oct. 27. She worked six furlongs in 1:12.60 at Santa Anita on Dec. 30 and six furlongs in 1:10 at Hollywood Park on Jan. 4.

"She wasn't supposed to go that fast the other day," Baffert said of the Hollywood Park workout. "She's speed. She just goes. I don't know how much she'll relax."

Owned by breeders Hal and Patti Earnhardt, Indian Blessing did not show much patience last year. In the BC Juvenile Fillies, she led throughout, pulling clear to lead by six lengths in the stretch. The margin at the finish was 3 1/2 lengths.

While there may be long-term concerns about how effective she can be in longer races, Sunday's seven-furlong race should not pose a significant problem. In the one-mile Frizette Stakes, Indian Blessing led by eight lengths at the eighth pole before winning by a mere 4 1/2 lengths.

"You can't knock them until they get beat," Baffert said. "This is all gravy with what she's done already. I'm excited watching her run. She looks good. She's happy."

With one exception, Indian Blessing does not face a strong field. Izarra, the runner-up in the Grade 1 Oak Leaf Stakes at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita meeting in October, makes her first start since finishing 10th in the BC Juvenile Fillies. Trainer Ron McAnally said that Izarra could not handle a sloppy track at Monmouth Park that day. Earlier this week, McAnally questioned whether the late-running Izarra can catch Indian Blessing in Sunday's race.

There are only six fillies entered in the Santa Ynez, and five of them have stakes experience.

Champagne Eyes was second in the Sharp Cat Stakes at Hollywood Park in November, her second start, and beat maidens here on Dec. 31, her fourth start. Nook and Granny was second in the Arizona Juvenile Fillies Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs at Turf Paradise on Dec. 29.

Trainer Craig Dollase said that P.S.U. Grad, the winner of the Barretts Debutante Stakes at Fairplex Park in September, was likely to be withdrawn.

"I think we'll wait for something else," he said on Friday.

Indian Blessing is not the only undefeated filly in the field. Peisinoe makes her stakes debut after winning a maiden race at the Oak Tree meeting in October and an optional claimer over six furlongs at Hollywood Park last month.

"Alex Solis worked her before she ever ran and liked her," trainer Paddy Gallagher said. "She came back to win again and that's a good sign. It looked like she kind of improved off her maiden race."

Gallagher admits that Peisinoe may not able to beat Indian Blessing.

"It's a big test for her," Gallagher said. "I'd be happy if she runs good. Indian Blessing could be a special filly."

[brock]

A couple of scratches prior to post. Indian Blessing won
the race but only paid $2.10 to place.