SANTA ANITA: GII BUENA VISTA. GRADE III SANTA YSABEL PREVIEWS

SANTA ANITA PRESSBOX —-

RASHMI, UNCORKED AMONG 6 STAKES WINNERS ENTERED IN SATURDAY’S GRADE II, $200,000 BUENA VISTA STAKES FOR FILLIES AND MARES GOING A MILE ON TURF AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 24, 2025)— No fewer than six stakes winners—including four at the graded level—are set to do battle in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes for older fillies and mares going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

The four graded winners in the lineup are Rashmi, winner of the GIII Megahertz going a mile on turf earlier this month at Santa Anita; Liguria, who was third in the Megahertz following a 14 ½-month layoff; Uncorked, who will be making her seasonal debut; and Alpha Bella, who returns to turf after three runner-up finishes in graded stakes on dirt.

Rashmi, trained by Jonathan Thomas, stalked the pace and spurted clear to win the one-mile Megahertz comfortably by 2 ½ lengths on Feb. 1. Prior to that effort, the 4-year-old Oscar Performance filly was stretched out to 1 ¼ miles for the GI American Oaks and checked in fourth on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

A homebred for Augustin Stable, Rashmi is 8: 4-1-1 with $150,736 in earnings. She will be reunited with Umberto Rispoli.

Liguria, trained by Michael McCarthy, was near the back of the pack in the Megahertz before rallying to be third. It was her first start since October 2023 when trained by Chad Brown. While Rispoli was aboard in the Megahertz, on Saturday she’ll have the services of Flavien Prat, last year’s Eclipse Award winner as the nation’s outstanding jockey.

A 5-year-old mare by War Front, Liguria is 9: 3-1-1 with $254,200 in earnings. She is owned by Alpha Delta Stables LLC.

Uncorked was last seen in November finishing second in the GIII Goldikova going a mile on turf at Del Mar. Trained by Phil D’Amato, the 6-year-old Australia-bred by Pierro earned her biggest win last April when taking down the GIII Royal Heroine going a mile at Santa Anita.

Uncorked is owned by The Elkstone Group and has a record of 21: 4-6-2 with $327,990 in earnings. She will have Antonio Fresu in the irons.

Alpha Bella joined trainer John Sadler’s barn at the end of last summer after making her first 16 starts in the east, mostly on the turf, while with trainer Todd Pletcher. She has raced exclusively in dirt graded stakes since moving to California, finishing second in all. Alpha Bella’s three local runner-up finishes came in the GII Zenyatta in September at Santa Anita, GIII Bayakoa at Del Mar in November, and GIII La Canada at Santa Anita on Jan. 19.

While with Pletcher, Alpha Bella won the GIII La Prevoyante on turf at Gulfstream Park in January 2024. A 5-year-old mare by Justify, Alpha Bella is 19: 3-7-2 with $476,615 in earnings. She will be ridden by Hector Berrios.

The Buena Vista is one of four graded stakes on a blockbuster program at Santa Anita. It will be joined by the GI Santa Anita Handicap for older horses, GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile on turf and the GII San Felipe for 3-year-olds on the Kentucky Derby trail.

THE GII BUENA VISTA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 11 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

Tirupati—Jose Oritz—120
Uncorked—Antonio Fresu—122
Liguria—Flavien Prat—120
Big Hug—Mike Smith—120
Rashmi—Umberto Rispoli—122
Alpha Bella—Hector Berrios—120
Omaha Girl—Tyler Baze—120

First post Saturday is 12 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.

MAYSAM WHEELS BACK IN SUNDAY’S GRADE III, $100,000 FASIG-TIPTON SANTA YSABEL FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES AT SANTA ANITA 2 WEEKS AFTER NEW MEXICO DISAPPOINTMENT

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 24, 2025)—Maysam, who finished second-to-last as the 1-9 favorite in the Sunland Park Oaks Feb. 16, will return to the races in short order for trainer Bob Baffert in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Santa Ysabel going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.

The Santa Ysabel is the final major prep for the GII Santa Anita Oaks on April 5 and also awards qualifying points to this year’s Kentucky Oaks. The top five finishers will earn Kentucky Oaks points paid out on a scale of 50-25-15-10-5.

Maysam was making just her second start in the one-mile Sunland Park Oaks and first around two turns. Things went sideways from the start in New Mexico. Maysam was fractious in the gate and broke a step slow under jockey Juan Hernandez. She was then rushed up to secure a stalking position into the first turn, which she would hold down backstretch. On the second turn, Maysam made a five-wide move to draw into contention but then flattened out in the stretch, finishing 18 ¼ lengths adrift of the winner.

By Game Winner, Maysam was purchased at auction last year for $500,000 by owner Michael Lund Petersen. In her debut sprinting 6 ½ furlongs at Santa Anita Jan. 24, Maysam attended the pace before kicking clear in the stretch to romp by six lengths. Hernandez will again ride Maysam in the Santa Ysabel.

Cipriani, also trained by Baffert, returned from a three-plus month layoff Feb. 2 and finished a distance second to stablemate Tenma in the GIII Las Virgenes going a mile at Santa Anita. It was just her second career start and first time going around two turns. In her debut in October at Santa Anita sprinting 6 ½ furlongs, Cipriani came from just off the pace and aired by 8 ¼.

Cipriani is owned by Speedway Stables, who purchased the Bernardini filly for $875,000 at auction last year. She will be ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith for the first time.

Supa Speed, who is multiple stakes-placed on turf for trainer John Sadler, will be making her first start on dirt. By Justify out of the American Pharoah mare Elfin Queen, Supa Speed exits a first-level allowance win going a mile on the grass Jan. 24 at Santa Anita. That effort followed three-straight stakes tries on turf, which includes a second in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf in September and a third in the Blue Norther in December at Santa Anita.

Supa Speed, owned by Flying Dutchman Breeding and Racing LLC, has a record of 5: 2-1-1 with $114,100 in earnings.

THE GIII FASIG-TIPTON SANTA YSABEL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT

Just As Fancy – Kyle Frey – 120
Howin – Umberto Rispoli – 120
Supa Speed – Flavien Prat – 122
Cipriani – Mike Smith – 120
Maysam – Juan Hernandez – 120
Hey Jessie – Antonio Fresu – 124

First post Sunday is 12 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.