La Cara popped out of the starting gate on top and was never headed on her way to cruising to a six-and-a-quarter length victory in the $150,000 Listed Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, 8 February.
The three-year-old daughter of Street Sense, who was making her first start of the year, banked 20 points toward a start in the G1 Kentucky Oaks in May. The Suncoast win was the second Stakes score for La Cara, who captured the G3 Pocahontas Stakes last September.
Ridden for the first time by jockey Dylan Davis, La Cara broke sharply and was sent immediately to the lead. Stakes winner Her Laugh, who had been expected to join La Cara up front, threw her head at the start and spotted the field several lengths right out of the gate. As it was, La Cara had things her own way throughout and was never threatened, eventually crossing the wire an easy winner.
Her Laugh rallied to take second, with Deloraine coming in third.
La Cara was bred in Kentucky and races as a homebred for Tracy Farmer. She is out of the Bernardini mare, Cara Caterina, a full sister to G1 winners To Honor and Serve and Angela Renee. Second dam is Stakes-winner, Pilfer, who has also produced Stakes-winner and G1-placed Elnaawi (Street Sense).
La Cara is the second Stakes winner so far this year for her sire, Street Sense, who is also the sire of Kinetic, winner of the General MacArthur Overnight Stakes at Oaklawn Park. In addition, La Cara was one of four Graded Stakes winners for her sire in 2024, joining First Mission (G2 Alysheba Stakes, G3 Essex H.), Never Explain (G3 Tampa Bay Stakes) and Comparative (G3 Bayakoa S.).
Street Sense will stand the 2025 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $50,000, stands and nurses.
