Kanthaka comes up big in Laz Barrera S. (G3)

Jimmy Creed’s star 3-year-old colt Kanthaka chalked up his second graded stakes win of 2018 on Saturday at Santa Anita Park with a three-quarter length score in the $100,000 Laz Barrera S. (G3).
Kanthaka is Jimmy Creed’s second stakes winner this month and sixth stakes horse of 2018. He is one of only two active Second-Crop sires of 2018 with at least $1 million in progeny earnings.

Kanthaka’s win didn’t come easy. The chestnut colt was off the pace early, with a three-way battle for the lead brewing a few lengths in front of him. Approaching the stretch, Kanthaka was stuck behind a wall of five horses all going for the win. When a narrow opening appeared in the two-path, jockey Flavien Prat deftly guided his mount through to take the lead in a matter of strides. In the final furlong, he held off Beautiful Shot to finish the seven furlongs in 1:23.25.

“It’s very exciting. This is our second graded stakes win with Kanthaka,” said Michael Grimm, one of the West Point Thoroughbred partners. “We love the horse; he tries so hard. You can always find the (correct) breeding for a horse, but you don’t know what’s inside of him until he actually gets into a race. He’s shown he’s got big courage. I was worried when horses came up to him in the stretch, but he held them off and showed his courage.”

Kanthaka took the San Vicente S. (G2) over the same course and distance in March. He’s now won three of six starts and earned $263,663.

The winner was bred by Spendthrift Farm and is the first foal out of Sliced Bread, who is a half-sister to stakes winners Proud Heiress and Red Chili Pepper.