Santa Ana Stakes (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
March 26, 2016

A field of six heads to SA this week to contest the 11th running of the Santa Ana Stakes, which  is a Grade 2 event for older females that like to run long on the turf.  This is not a race that is known for surprise winners, as all but last year’s winner, In Dreams, accumulated over $1,000.000 in career earnings.  The top two have almost identical career earning amounts as well.  2008 Winner Mark Me Special won $3,255.530 in her career, running mostly for Diablo Diablo, and 2013 Winner Funky Music won $3,246.220 in hers, running exclusively for Paradise Stable.  In this years field, we have one in the field that has eclipsed $1,000.000 and another that is right on the brink of doing so.  Without any further delay, let us take a look at our runners.

#1- The Patriot Filly (Threshold, ridden by B Blanc)- After a stretch last summer where she was very good, and very consistent, The Patriot Filly has been struggling lately.  In her last three starts, she has only been faster then a combined one horse at the end of the race.  When she was at her best, The Patriot Filly made a name for herself by making successful closing bids.  Those bids have just not come in her last three races, with the most recent one here at SA in early February looking particularly poor.  She has no public works since early January, so its hard to tell if she’s ready to return to prior form.  Without that confidence, it’s hard to pick her over the others.

#2- Iron Punch (Joseph Racing, ridden by D Van Dyke)- Iron Punch will finish 3rd today.  That is, if you believe in number patterns.  After string of five straight second place finishes, she went on to win five in a row.  That streak started with her finally breaking her maiden, and lasted until a victory in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at DMR in the beginning of November.  Since that winning streak ended, she has been third twice.  This will be the longest race of her career, and while that should not be a problem for her, she has a tough assignment here if she wants to begin another winning streak.  Picking her third?  Maybe not a bad idea.

#3- Rip Snortin (Aer Stables, ridden by E Maldonado)– Back in mid-September, Rip Snortin ran the race of her life in Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at WO.  Her win that day earned a 103 SRF, but most importantly sent her to the BC Fillies and Mares Turf.  The great Broomsticks Copy did her thing that day, and won a BC race for the second year in a row.  Rip Snortin meanwhile was five lengths behind her and 10th overall.  Like The Patriot Filly, she is at her best when as a deep closer, but there was no close that day.  That can be forgiven, but her last race was a major disappointment.  She was the definitive class of the field on paper for that optional claimer against only three others, and could only finish third.  Hopefully the trainer figured out why that happened and she can bounce back here.

#4- Altered Skeleton (Chili King Stables, ridden by G L Stevens)- Always need to watch out for Chili King in these long turf races, and Altered Skeleton provides the trainer to add another graded stake win on the grass to his resume.   I had the pleasure of watching her back in late September when she won the Rodeo Drive, a Grade 1 right here at SA, in impression fashion, that would send the Altered Skeleton to KEE on Halloween for the BC Fillies and Mares Turf.  Only Broomsticks Copy was better then her that day, so if not for that legendary mare, Altered Skeleton is a BC Champion.   In the two races since, she has continued to be at the top of her game, including a second in the Grade 3 Marshuas River at GP.  The one that beat her that day was Tidal Wave, and the two of them go at it here today again, and are likely your top two picks.  Sure, one can say that Altered Skeleton was not too great in the Suwannee River last month, but maybe she just did not like the soft turf that day. She is less then $30.000 away from eclipsing $1,000.000 in career earnings.

#5- Eva The Diva (Our Athletes, ridden by T C Baze)- I have been a good luck charm for Eva The Diva it seems as in the past when I covered her races, she has either won or been amongst the top pack.   She could use another jolt, as her career seems to have stagnated a little bit of late.  She was a large purchase for Our Athletes back in August, buying her for $500.000 from Hawaiian Shirt Guy, and she turned around 11 days later and won the DMR Oaks while running in her new silks.   Since then, Eva The Diva has not been bad, but, as mentioned, she just needs a jolt to get her back on the right track.  She has been in the mix and racing at the highest levels consistently, so I don’t think she has lost anything.  She simply needs to catch a good break.   Maybe my covering her again is an ideal omen.

#6- Tidal Wave (Paradise Stable, ridden by V Espinoza)- The old lady of the group doesn’t have a BC race from 2015 to talk about, but she’s run in them twice before, including the Ladies Classic in 2013.  In 2014, she had her turn in the Fillies and Mares Turf, and would be sixth.  Ironically, the year in which she did not run in the BC was actually her winningest season, taking five of eight in 2015, four of which were graded stakes.  Unfortunately for her trainer, she didn’t win the right ones to get her in the BC.  Early this year, the six year old showed everyone that she was not slowing down, as she won the Marshuas River at GP, defeating Altered Skeleton in the process.  She narrowly missed last month in the G2 Buena Vista, placing second in a tight photo with Natural Flower, another with considerable BC experience.  Tidal Wave is ready to roll today, and it should be a good one.

Prediction: 4-6-2-5

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES