Forced Entry handles class jump in Santa Ysabel

Sunday’s $101,000 Santa Ysabel (G3) at Santa Anita ended in a mild upset as 5-2 third choice Forced Entry pounced to victory in her stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert.

The complexion of the 1 1/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier changed dramatically when 17-10 favorite Super Corredora, the champion two-year-old filly of 2025 after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), appeared to rear at the start. Normally a speed horse, Super Corredora broke in last place by a clear margin and trailed the field into the first turn while racing a bit rank.

As a result, French Blue—a second Baffert trainee—found herself on an uncontested lead through splits of :23.34 and :47.57. Forced Entry, with Santa Anita’s leading jockey Juan Hernandez in the saddle, was content to rate in fourth place for the first half-mile, showing a new dimension after wiring a one-mile maiden special weight on Feb. 1 by 7 1/4 lengths.

“I broke better than everyone,” Hernandez said. “But Bob was working this filly from kind of off the pace to see if she could handle it, and she was going pretty good in the morning. I saw the horse inside (French Blue) wanted to go, so I just said, okay, go ahead and go. I’m just going to try like they have been teaching her in the morning, working from off the pace.”

Rounding the far turn, Forced Entry advanced outside to challenge French Blue. Super Corredora attempted to mount a bid as well, but ran out of steam at the top of the stretch. At that point, Forced Entry took over from her stablemate and edged away to triumph by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:44.79.

Bank Shot overcame some early traffic trouble to close from third place and finish second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of French Blue. Piney Woods and Cee Drew were the next two across the finish line, while Super Corredora and My Love Caroline eased to the wire far behind.

“The heavy favorite (Super Corredora) she didn’t break, she missed the break completely and that just changed the whole race in general,” Baffert said. “After that happened, French Blue, she was just out there cruising. She is still a really nice filly. But Forced Entry, she has been training really well. She had been training with Crude Velocity who won yesterday. It’s nice when you have other nice horses to work with and keep them fit. I’m proud of the way they ran.”

Bred by Stoneriggs Farm, Forced Entry is a daughter of Baffert’s Malibu (G1) and Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Charlatan. She’s owned by the partnership of Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, and she’s compiled a 3-2-0-0 career record with earnings of $102,500.

“It’s nice this time of year when you have nice fillies and you are thinking Kentucky Oaks,” Baffert said. “It’s good for Charlatan. He was a good horse and (his offspring) are finally coming around now. We have a bunch of Charlatans that look good, so it’s a big day for Charlatan.”

The Santa Ysabel awarded Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points to the top five finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 basis, so Forced Entry joins the leaderboard in fifth place with 50 points.