Kirstenbosch

Kirstenbosch, a Midnight Lute filly, finished second in her debut at Santa Anita Park in March 2022 and then improved when switched from dirt to turf and stretched out to 1 1/8 miles, taking a maiden race by a half length at Santa Anita on April 8.

She then was moved up to stakes company and finished a solid second in the Angels Flight Stakes back on dirt. Kirstenbosch finished fourth in the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks before taking a nine-week break.

Returning at Del Mar in August, the filly finished off the board in a turf race but then moved to dirt and won a one-mile allowance. She made another start on turf and finished fifth, and then trainer John Sadler moved her back to dirt yet again, and the filly improved her form with a runner-up finish in the Zia Park Oaks in New Mexico and then a third-place finish at high odds in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes back at Santa Anita.

On Jan. 15, 2023, the now 4-year-old Kirstenbosch broke through with her first stakes win, rallying from a stalking spot under jockey Kazushi Kimura to edge pacesetter and 8-5 favorite Ganadora by a nose in the 1 1/16-mile, Grade 3 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita.

Kirstenbosch is out of the winning and Grade 3-placed Belong to Me mare Llandudno and is a half-sister to stakes winner and Grade 2-placed Constantia.