Santa Margarita Stakes 2019: Entries & Odds at Santa Anita
Paradise Woods, a multiple Grade I winner at three, but winless since September, 2017, will be making her third start for trainer John Shirreffs, heads a field of eight older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles in Saturday's Grade II, $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
Bred in Kentucky by the late Herman Sarkowsky, Paradise Woods, who is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Union Rags, won the Grade I Santa Anita Oaks by 11 ¾ lengths on April 8, 2017 and was subsequently made the 6-5 favorite in the Grade I Kentucky Oaks, a race in which she lead early and tired badly to finish 11th.
Originally trained by Richard Mandella, Paradise Woods will be making her 14th career start and will be ridden for the first time by Mike Smith on Saturday.
Bob Baffert will be represented by a pair of distaffs in the Santa Margarita, stakes placed Just a Smidge and lightly raced Witholding Info, who comes off a sharp allowance score at a flat mile.
2019 Santa Margarita Stakes Odds & Entries
Race 8 at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, April 27 - Post 7:50 PM ET
| Entry | Horse | ML Odds | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starr of Quality | 5-1 | Tiago Pereira 120 Lbs |
William Spawr |
| 2 | Exuberance | 20-1 | Norberto Arroyo, Jr. 120 Lbs |
Ian Kruljac |
| 3 | La Force (GER) | 4-1 | Drayden Van Dyke 120 Lbs |
Patrick Gallagher |
| 4 | Birdie Gold | 20-1 | Victor Espinoza 120 Lbs |
Gary Mandella |
| 5 | Withholding Info | 6-1 | Joseph Talamo 120 Lbs |
Bob Baffert |
| 6 | Lemoona | 3-1 | Aaron Gryder 120 Lbs |
Richard Baltas |
| 7 | Just a Smidge | 10-1 | Martin Garcia 120 Lbs |
Bob Baffert |
| 8 | Paradise Woods | 9-5 | Mike Smith 120 Lbs |
John Shirreffs |
U.S. Legal Online Wagering
PARADISE WOODS
The leading money earner in the field with $825,890, but winless in seven starts since taking the Grade I Zenyatta Stakes here in September, 2017, she comes off a much improved third place finish in the Grade I Beholder Mile and with Smith taking over, looms the horse to beat on Saturday.
Out of the Forest Wildcat mare Wild Forest, Paradise Woods, who was a disappointing fifth two starts back in the Grade II, seven furlong Santa Monica Stakes Feb. 16, will likely lay close to the early pace as she tries to improve upon an overall mark of 13-3-2-3.
Owner: Pam and Martin Wygod & Steven Sarkowsky | Trainer: John Shirreffs
JUST A SMIDGE
Off at 38-1, she was seventh, beaten 18 ½ lengths in the Beholder Mile. A sharp gate to wire allowance winner going one mile two starts back, she'll be handled for the first time by come backing Martin Garcia, who is expected to put early run on her mind. A diminutive 4-year-old filly by Into Mischief, Just a Smidge has three wins from 11 starts and has been unplaced in four other graded stakes assignments.
Owner: Debbie Lanni | Trainer: Bob Baffert
WITHOLDING INFO
red in Kentucky by her owners, this 4-year-old Midnight Lute filly, out of the First Samurai mare Executiveprivilege, has won two out of her three starts with Joe Talamo, and she earned a career-top Beyer Speed figure of 83 in taking a one mile allowance here on April 7. Should Paradise Woods falter, Witholding Info is an interesting up and comer from a barn that's full of them.
Owner: Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman | Trainer: Bob Baffert
