Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes is on tap for Santa Anita Park this Saturday March 16. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will be featured as they go 1 1/8 miles on Santa Anita's dirt track. A purse of $300,000 will be on the line.
A field of six older females will line up in the Santa Margarita which is race 7 on Santa Anita's Saturday schedule. Post time is 3:35 PM. Let's take a glance into the past performances of all six combatants ahead of this Grade 2 race.
2013 Santa Margarita Stakes Race Favorites
Joyful Victory - won the Tiffany Lass Stakes at Fair Grounds last February 11 and had very impressive wins in the Grade 3 Honeybee Stakes and the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes in 2011. The Larry Jones trainee has placed in the last eight starts including a win last time out in the inaugural Houston Ladies Classic Stakes January 26 by 4 1/2 lengths with a career best 98 Beyer Speed Figure after a third in the Grade 2 Falls City Handicap November 22, a second in the Grade 2 Chilukki Stakes, a second in the Grade 1 Zenyatta on this track to Love and Pride September 29, a second in the Grade 3 Gardenia Stakes, a third in the Grade 3 Azeri Stakes and a win in the Tiffany Lass. She has been at or near the top in almost every race she entered in 2012 and Saturday figures to be no different as she chases her first Grade 1 victory.
Great Hot - Brazilian bred Great Hot had 11 starts in 2012 with three seconds - the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes back in January 2012 being the best result, and a pair of thirds in minor stakes action. She was a distant ninth four back in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and followed that with a third in the Kalookan Queen Stakes and a fourth in the Pasadena Handicap at Santa Anita January 13. Last time out was an impressive win (her first in 13 races) and a career best 98 Beyer Speed Figure in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes here with Gary Stevens aboard. Stevens gets the mount again Saturday.
Santa Margarita Stakes 2013 | Remaining Field Entries
More Chocolate - made her stakes debut and finished a very pleasant third in the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes on this track December 30 after six career starts produced two wins and a second place finish for trainer John Sadler. Last time out was a very nice win in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes by two lengths over the talented Book Review here January 20. More Chocolate now has three wins, a second and a third place finish in eight career starts.
Santa Margarita Stakes betting at Santa Anita Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Brushed by a Star - had three straight wins in the summer including the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher at Monmouth July 29, the Iowa Distaff Stakes on June 29 and another win at an Allowance at Churchill Downs on June 10. She had a little hiccup five back with a fifth in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign but she bounced back with a second in the Mari Hulman George Stakes, an impressive win in the Grade 2 Chilukki over Joyful Victory and a very good second in the Grade 2 Falls City Stakes at Churchill Downs November 22. Last time out was another good second behind Joyful Victory in the inaugural Houston Ladies Classic January 26 at Sam Houston. She and Joyful Victory have created quite a rivalry - Saturday marks another interesting chapter in the book!
Snow Fall - Jerry Hollendorfer pupil had a nice win in the Pasadena Handicap by 3 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita January 13 to follow a good second in the Kalookan Queen Stakes in December. Last time out was a somewhat disappointing fourth in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes here February 16 behind Great Hot. She has four wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 14 career starts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Snow Fall will add blinkers for the Santa Margarita.
The Only Key - British bred mare makes her stakes debut in North America and her dirt debut as well after five starts here generated a second last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita February 15 and a win before that in a Claiming at Golden Gate January 13. In 16 races in Europe she managed three wins, a second and four third place finishes.
