2016 Adoration Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The Grade 3 Adoration Stakes is on tap for this Sunday, May 8 from Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. A purse of $100,000 will be on the line for fillies and mares three years old and upward willing to go 1 1/16 miles on Santa Anita's dirt track.

A field of six will give it a go in thee Adoration Stakes - race 5 on Santa Anita's Sunday schedule. Post time is 2:30 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all six combatants for this Grade 3 stakes - none other than Beholder have a graded stakes score.

2016 Adoration Stakes Race Preview at Santa Anita Park

Beholder - defending champion in this race, three time Eclipse Award winner - 2015 Champion Older Mare, 2013 Champion 3 Year Old Filly and 2012 Champion 2 Year Old Filly and nine time Grade 1 victor has 20 career starts with 15 wins and three second place finishes - the only times she hasn't finished first or second came in her debut and a fourth place finish in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes just over two years ago. She enters on a terrific six race win streak - The Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes here September 26, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic August 22, the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes by an incredible seven lengths August 1, the 2015 Adoration Stakes, the minor Santa Lucia Stakes in April and the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes in September (which she won two straight years). She won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2012 and the Breeders' Cup Distaff in 2013 but has just eight starts since - seven wins. She is a three-time Eclipse Award winner for a reason - she is mighty impressive and despite being put of action for seven months is the obvious one to catch Sunday. Gary Stevens will be in the saddle of the morning line favorite and 124 pound highweight from the outside gate 6.

Sheer Pleasure - multiple stakes winning Phil D'Amato trained filly has 11 career starts with four wins and two runner-up finishes. She enters off one of those wins - the minor Dream of Summer Stakes on this track March 27. It followed a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming March 8 and a couple of off-the-board finishes. She also won the minor Melair and Evening Jewel Stakes on this track. Sheer Pleasure has been trending upward and off a win could be in the mix Sunday. She looks for her first graded stakes score with Martin Garcia guiding her.

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She's Reddy - Eoin Harty trained filly has just two wins and two second place finishes in 11 career starts. She makes her graded stakes debut Sunday off a second place finish in the minor Harry Henson Handicap at Sunland Park March 20 after an Allowance score on that track in January and off-the-board finishes in three Allowance Optional Claiming races. She's Ready has been OK in her last two starts after an unflattering stretch and will chase her first stakes score from post 3. Santiago Gonzalez has been tabbed to ride.

Mo Honey - has seven career starts for trainer Patrick Gallagher with three wins and a second place finish so far. She made her stakes debut three starts back and finished eighth in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on this track December 26 and followed that with an Allowance Optional Claiming score here January 24. Last time out was another disappointment - a fifth in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes on this track March 19. She also had an Allowance score here October 10, a tenth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar August 9 and a maiden on this track in June. Moyo Honey has looked OK against lesser company thus far - not so good in stakes company. She looks for her first stakes score Sunday with Drayden Van Dyke in the saddle from the rail.

All Star Bub - Jerry Hollendorfer trained filly has recorded three wins, a second and five third place finishes in 16 career starts. She has placed in three of her last four starts overall - a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out on this track April 7 followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score here February 25 and consecutive third place finishes in similar races this past winter, She had a sixth in her only stakes action to date - the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes on this track in October. All Star Bub has been OK the last six months and hopes for a first stakes score from gate 2. Rafael Bejarano will be in the reins.

Backintheacademy - has 32 career starts for trainer Felipe Souza with just two wins, six seconds and seven third place finishes. She has just one stakes start which resulted in a fifth in the minor Santa Lucia Stakes here a year ago. She has concentrated on Allowance Optional Claiming races since - a third last time out April 24 at Los Alamitos followed a fifth, a third, a seventh and three straight fifth place finishes. Backintheacademy chases her first victory since January, 2015 - in less-than-spectacular form and will leave from gate 4 with Brayan Pena in the saddle.

2016 Adoration Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 5 on Santa Anita's Sunday card with a Post Time of 5:30 PM.