Snta Anita: GIII Chillingworth Stakes Featuring Return Of Grade I Winner Tamara

By Victor Ryan —-

Tamara and jockey Mike Smith win the Grade I, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante, Saturday, September 9, 2023 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar CA.
© BENOIT PHOTO

Chillingworth Stakes will be aired on CNBC as part of NBC Sports coverage from 1-3 P.M. PT

ARCADIA, CA (Sept. 29, 2025)—In addition to three Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races, Saturday’s blockbuster 10-race card at Santa Anita includes the long-awaited return of blue-blooded Grade I winner Tamara in the GIII Chillingworth Stakes and the Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-old sprinting five furlongs on turf.

The $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes for fillies and mares going six and a half furlongs will be aired on CNBC as part of NBC Sports coverage of Santa Anita and Keeneland from 1 to 3 p.m. PT.

Tamara, a daughter of four-time champion and Hall of Fame inductee Beholder, will be making her first start since November and only the second since finishing off the board as the favorite in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. Trained by Richard Mandella, Tamara resurfaced last fall in an allowance at Del Mar and finished second by a nose to stakes winner Sandy Bottom.

Tamara has worked nine times since July 31 for her comeback, which includes a four-furlong drill in 47.0 seconds Sunday at Santa Anita. It was the second-fastest of 102 works at the distance that day. A homebred for Spendthrift Farm, Tamara will have Hall of Famer Mike Smith in the irons.

Tamara’s main rivals include Silent Law, a stakes winner from the Bob Baffert barn who returns to sprinting after a pair of two-turn graded stakes tries that includes one on turf.

A 3-year-old daughter of Tiz the Law, Silent Law as a juvenile last year won the six-furlong Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita and was second in the Desi Arnaz going seven furlongs at Del Mar. In her two most recent starts, both around two turns, Silent Law was second in the GII Santa Anita Oaks in April and then eighth in the GII San Clemente on turf after setting the pace on July 19 at Del Mar. Silent Law will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.

The Chillingworth goes as the second race with post time at approximately 1:30 p.m. The field in post position order: Baela (Kazushi Kimura); Silent Law (Juan Hernandez); Tamara (Mike Smith); Chismosa (Kyle Frey); Ang N Ash (David Cohen)

$100,000 Speakeasy Stakes

The Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on turf is a potential launching pad to the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

A wide-open field of 12 is signed on including a pair of eastern invaders for trainer Wesley Ward, who has won three of the seven running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Bacio comes west after winning his debut going five furlongs on dirt at Monmouth Park on Aug. 8. He is by Maclean’s Music out of the Kantharos mare Katie’s Kiss, who was a stakes winner on turf. Frankie Dettori, who was aboard for Bacio’s debut win, will also make the trip to ride.

Schwarzenegger comes to California still a maiden after one start. Highly regarded entering his debut, the colt by Not This Time was bet down to the 3-5 favorite when going 5 ½ furlongs on turf Aug. 29 at Saratoga. Schwarzenegger set the pace and was 6 ½ lengths clear at the mid-stretch call, but then lost by a neck on the wire when being run down by the promising Attfield. Schwarzenegger will be ridden by Juan Hernandez.

Also coming west for trainer Daniel Lietch is Twilight Delight, a colt by Twirling Candy. Twilight Delight won his debut going 5 ½ furlongs on turf at Ellis Park Aug. 1 and came back to finish fourth in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs Aug. 31. He’ll have the services of Kazushi Kimura for his California debut.

Among the local hopes is Ventry Stand, trained by John Sadler, who after bobbling at the start in his debut rallied from far back to graduate going five furlongs on turf Sept. 7 at Del Mar. Hector Berrios was aboard that day and retains the mount.

Top California turf trainer Phil D’Amato entered Later Than Planned, a European import who cuts back to a sprint. By Cotai Glory, Later Than Planned won his U.S. debut going a mile on turf at Del Mar Aug. 17 then finished off the board in the GIII Del Mar Juvenile Turf on Sept. 7. Jockey Umberto Rispoli keeps the mount on Later Than Planned.

The Speakeasy goes as the 10th and final race with post time at approximately 5:30 p.m. The field in post position order: Schwarzenegger (Juan Hernandez); Twilight Delight (Kazushi Kimura); Dirty Rich (Ricky Gonzalez); Queen Bay (Kyle Frey); Later Than Planned (Umberto Rispoli); Ventry Strand (Hector Berrios); A.P. Again (David Cohen); Bacio (Frankie Dettori); Bourbon and Ginger (Mirco Demuro); Arkadelphia (Edwin Maldonado); Brigante (Armando Ayuso); Thirsty Rebel (Abel Lezcano); Sendit Mo (AE) (Kazushi Kimura).

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