The Santa Maria Stakes (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
May 22, 2021

About six weeks ago, Mb Stables paid $500.000 for Drink Me Pretty, and so far the results have been quite positive. The filly finished third a week after the sale in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom, and on Saturday, she would add to that by capturing the Grade 2 Santa Maria at SA for her fifth career win. It is the third win in the stake for Mb Stables, as he also won in 2015 with the late Little Jen, and in 2016 with Brawl Dead End. A Cedillo is the winning jockey, doing so for the first time. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:42.04, not one of the quicker recent winning times, but all that was needed. Let’s take a look!

(¼ Mile- :23.59)- The Sidley Stud’s Techno Cheryl shoots out of the starting gate, and quickly opens up an approximate two length lead just as the field enters the first turn. After that gap, they are three wide behind her with Gdp Inc’s Fair On Friday holding the rail, and the eventual winner, Drink Me Pretty, out of Mb Stables, running in the third lane. They are heads apart for second, and running between them, about a quarter length behind, is Pocono Fashion, out of Nakamura Stables. Night Bird Flying is a length and a half behind them for South Shore Stables.

(½ Mile- :47.33)- Techno Cheryl tones it down just a little bit during the second quarter of the race, but still keeps a lead by about a length and a half. Drink Me Pretty, nicely situated in the third lane, moves into the second position by a neck over Fair On Friday. Pocono Fashion, running with them previously, now drops back behind them by about a length. Night Bird Flying is another length and a half back, still.

(Top Of Stretch. 1.8 To Go)- Drink Me Pretty had a great line for the backstretch trip, and she would use the money lane to her advantage in the turn, methodically closing in on Techno Cheryl before completing the pass before exiting the turn. At the top of the stretch, she now has the advantage. With the pacesetter put away, the biggest threat looming would be Fair On Friday, but mainly because she was able to keep level with Drink Me Pretty and remain within a length. In fourth, Pocono Fashion was two lengths back. Night Bird Flying was looking outclassed at this point.

(Finish- 1:42.04)- In the stretch, Drink Me Pretty maintains her steady stride, and that is too much for the others in the field to do anything with. She drifted a little but early on in the stretch, making it possible for Fair On Friday to take a run at her if she had it within her, but she was only able to stay level with the ultimate winner. Pocono Fashion passed the tiring Techo Cheryl for third, but was never a factor for more. Eventually, Night Bird Flying also crossed the finish line.

About The Winner- Drink Me Pretty, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by A Cedillo, is a four year old filly by Captain Rush, and is out of Musical Rush. She was bred by Zoeller in New Mexico as a yearling, and acquired by Mb Stables, via Estero Farms, for $500.000 on April 10 of this year. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fifth in 19 starts, her third stake win, and second graded win. Her career earnings are now $2,014.080.

Track: Fast
Time: :23²  :47¹  1:11   1:42

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 2 Paid 31.80
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 2 – 3 Paid 31.20

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES