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Play Ballado, Three Degrees face new challenge in El Encino PLAY BALLADO (Saint Ballado), a 7 1/2-length winner of Aqueduct's Miss Oceana S. most recently, will make her first graded start in Sunday's $150,000 El Encino S. (G2) at Santa Anita. The 1 1/16-mile event will also be the first main track attempt for THREE DEGREES (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]), winner of the Honeymoon Breeders' Cup H. (G2) and runner-up in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) on the grass. Three for four in her career, the John Ward Jr.-trained Play Ballado will be making her first start around two turns in the El Encino. She won her last two starts at the one-turn, one-mile distance by a combined 13 3/4 lengths. Edgar Prado will travel to the West Coast for the mount. Three Degrees exits a commendable showing in the Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup S. (G1), finishing fifth by only three parts of a length, and will be very dangerous if she handles the dirt. Her sire, Singspiel, won the 1997 Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) on the dirt at Nad al Sheba. Three Degrees' dam, Miss University, is by Beau Genius, also a Grade 1 winner on the main track, so her pedigree is encouraging. The El Encino is the second leg of Santa Anita's La Canada series for foals of 2002. Pussycat Doll (Real Quiet) won the first leg, the La Brea S. (G1), but will skip the El Encino. The series concludes with the 1 1/8-mile La Canada S. (G2) on February 12. The seven El Encino contestants, from the rail with jockeys, are SOMETHINABOUTLAURA (Dance Floor), Aaron Gryder; SKIPPING COURT (Doneraile Court), Kent Desormeaux; CREAM DONUT KEITH (Lion Hearted), Corey Nakatani; PROPOSED (Benchmark), Pat Valenzuela; SHIMMER (Pulpit), Victor Espinoza; Three Degrees, Alex Solis; and Play Ballado. All starters will carry 117 pounds except Skipping Court and Cream Donut Keith, who will each receive a two-pound allowance.
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