Nafisa

Nafisa is a true equine rags to riches story. She ran her career debut race as a 2-year-old at Del Mar on Nov. 12, 2023. She then remained winless through the first 12 starts of her career all the way up until late 2025 when she finally broke through with her maiden win at Del Mar on Nov. 23, 2025, in the final start of her 4-year-old season.

Nafisa then turned what started as a 12-race losing streak to begin her career into a multi-race winning streak thanks to a blazing start to her 5-year-old season. Nafisa quickly progressed from maiden winner in Nov. 2025 to a multiple winner, to a stakes winner, all in the first month of 2026. She won an allowance optional claiming race at Santa Anita on Jan. 9, 2026, and then followed-up that win with a victory in the Grade 3 $100,000 La Canada Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Santa Anita on Jan. 24. She won the La Canada by 4 3/4 lengths as the 2.30-1 second choice on the tote board in a field of six horses for trainer Bob Baffert.