Photo:
Keeneland / Coady Media – edited
On an afternoon filled with good horses Saturday at Fair Grounds, one mare who might not get too much attention going in will be Nanda Dea.
Drawn to the 13 hole in the Marie G. Krantz Memorial Stakes, the import from Argentina may have her work cut out for her in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. Then again, it might be the other 13 older females in the field who are in deep.
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From the barn of Ignacio Correas IV, Nanda Dea could be the next big thing for a trainer becoming known for bringing in major talents from South America. Having watched her American debut last fall at Keeneland, I have every reason to believe that Nanda Dea is the genuine article.
Facing a very solid field of allowance mares, and off the pace in a race with little early speed, the daughter of Fortify made things look easy as she powered home down the Keeneland stretch under confident handling by rider José Ortiz. I’ve been eagerly waiting for her second start in the United States ever since.
Back in the day, legendary trainer Ron McAnally was best known as the man behind the career of the great John Henry, but he was also known for his wonderful imports from South America. Led by the champions Bayakoa and Paseana as well as the immensely talented Candy Ride, the Kentucky native found great success with horses who began their careers in Argentina.
Correas, a 65-year-old native of Argentina who opened his own stable in the United States 10 years ago, has picked up the tradition of McAnally and others.
A successful trainer in his native country before leaving due to its economic problems, he comes from a family in the horse business since the 19th century. His first big splash in the United States came with Blue Prize.
A champion in Argentina, it took a little time for her to move to the highest level in America. Under the care of Correas, she continued to improve and became one of the top older females in the country. Blue Prize won back-to-back editions of Keeneland’s Grade 1 Spinster Stakes in 2018 and 2019 before striking gold with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita.
Last fall at Del Mar, Correas took two more shots at Breeders’ Cup success when he saddled a couple more South American imports in Didia in the Filly & Mare Turf and Mufasa in the Dirt Mile.
Neither won that afternoon, although Didia was beaten by just a half-length when third behind Moira. She is a Group 1 and Grade 1 winner in both Argentina and the U.S. and will be back in 2025. Mufasa tired when stretched to two turns in the Dirt Mile but once again showed his sprinting chops when defeating White Abarrio in the recent Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
Already poised for another big year with Didia and Mufasa. Correas may well have a third in Happy Friday-owned Nanda Dea.
A champion miler and Group 1 winner in Argentina, where she twice beat the boys, she raised her career record on the turf to seven wins in eight starts with that stylish victory three months ago at Keeneland.
Training racehorses has taken Correas all over the world. Now he has found a home in America. Having scored Breeders’ Cup glory just over five years ago with the South America import Blue Prize, he has proven to be anything but a flash in the pan in recent years as he continues to enjoy the pipeline from South America to the United States.
Didia, from Argentina, is one of the best turf mares in the nation. Mufasa, from Chile, is one I expect to have a big season sprinting. Will the champion from Argentina Nanda Dea find similar success? We will find out more Saturday at Fair Grounds, but I fully expect the answer to be yes.
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