Grade I-Placed Buetane Headlines Grade II San Vicente Stakes For 3-Year-Olds

By Victor Ryan —-

GRADE I-PLACED BUETANE HEADLINES GRADE II SAN VICENTE STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS; BREEDERS’ CUP RUNNER-UP EXPLORA RETURNS IN SANTA YNEZ STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 5, 2025)—Grade I-placed Buetane returns to action in the Grade II San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Explora looms as a likely heavy favorite in the rescheduled Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies Saturday at Santa Anita.

The $200,000 San Vicente going seven furlongs kicks off the road to the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 4. Buetane returns to action four months after finishing second in the GI Hopeful Stakes going seven furlongs at Saratoga on Sept. 1. The winner, Ted Noffey, would go on to win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and is the expected 2-year-old champion of 2025.

By Tiz the Law, Buetane is trained by Bob Baffert for owner Zedan Racing. He was a $1.15 million auction buy at last year’s OBS April Sale of 2-year-olds in training. In his only other start, Buetane was a debut winner going six furlongs last summer at Del Mar. He’ll be ridden by Juan Hernanez, who was previously aboard for Buetane’s debut win.

So Happy faces winners for the first time following a debut win going 6 ½ furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 22. Trained by Mark Glatt, So Happy earned a competitive 83 Beyer Speed Figure for the victory. The colt by Runhappy, a $150,000 auction buy last year, is owned by Norman Stables LLC and Saints or Sinners. Hall of Famer Mike Smith will again be aboard So Happy.

Trainer Doug O’Neill entered Florida-bred Acknowledgemeplz and Thirsty Rebel, a California-bred. Acknowledgemeplz will return to sprinting following a fourth-place finish in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity going 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 23. Prior to that, the colt by Bucchero earned a field high 93 Beyer in a 6 ½-furlong maiden win at Santa Anita in October. A $75,000 auction buy, he is owned by Purple Rein Racing and Mark D. Davis. Acknowledgemeplz will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time.

Thirsty Rebel, by Stay Thirsty, is exiting big six-length allowance win versus statebreds going six furlongs on Dec. 26 at Los Alamitos. This will be his first time facing open company on dirt. In two previous stakes tries against statebreds, Thirsty Rebel finished second in the 5 ½-furlong I’m Smokin Stakes at Del Mar in September and was fourth in the Golden State Juvenile going seven furlongs at Santa Anita in October. Thirsty Rebel is owned by Mark D. Breen. He’ll have regular rider Abel Lezcano in the irons.

The San Vicente goes as the fifth race at approximately 2 p.m. PT. The field in post position order: Greenwich Village, Hector Berrios; So Happy, Mike Smith; Buetane, Juan Hernandez; Acknowledgemeplz, Kazushi Kimura; Thirsty Rebel, Abel Lezcano.

The $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at seven furlongs begins the road to the Grade II Santa Anita Oaks on April 4. It was originally scheduled for this past Saturday but was postponed due to rain. The Santa Ynez also offers qualifying points to this spring’s Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.

Explora went off favored in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and was beaten three-quarters of a length by Santa Anita-based Super Corredora on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. That effort came 27 days after Explora won the GII Oak Leaf, also at 1 1/16 miles, when making her two-turn debut for Baffert at Santa Anita. A $350,000 auction buy earlier this year, Explora is owned by Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. She’ll have regular rider Juan Hernandez aboard.

Prior to winning the Oak Leaf when stretched out around two turns, Explora finished second to stablemate Bottle of Rouge in the GI Del Mar Debutante going seven furlongs in September at Del Mar. Bottle of Rouge was not originally part of the Santa Ynez field but was entered on Monday following the race’s postponement.

By Vino Rosso, Bottle of Rouge also tried the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies after her win in the Debutante. Trying two turns for the first time, Bottle of Rouge raced in mid-pack throughout and was never a factor when finishing sixth. She is owned by Natalie Baffert and Smith has the call.

Also exiting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies is La Wally for trainer Mark Glatt. Second to Explora in the Oak Leaf, La Wally in the Juvenile Fillies pressed the pace in second and then weakened late to finish eighth in a field of nine. By Constitution, La Wally was a $300,000 auction buy as a yearling by owner Muir Hut Stable. She’ll be ridden by Umberto Rispoli for the first time.

Revera comes in for trainer John Sadler following a win in the seven-furlong Desi Arnaz at Del Mar on Nov. 16. She finished three-quarters of a length in front of runner-up Himika, who also returns in the Santa Ynez for Baffert. By Lexitonian, Revera was an $85,000 auction buy earlier this year and is campaigned by U Racing Stables, Saints or Sinners, Denise Barker et al. Hector Berrios has the call on Revera.

The Santa Ynez goes as the third race at approximately 1 p.m. The field in post position order: Himika, Kazushi Kimura; La Wally, Umberto Rispoli; Bottle of Rouge, Mike Smith; Revera, Hector Berrios; Explora, Juan Hernandez.

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