6/18/22

  3   SA    Santa Maria Stakes (GII)

$200.000      F&M 3YO&UP   1m  Turf       3yo 121lbs   Older 124lbs   +penalties

Kaboooom!!  Sent off as the 55/1 outsider, Night Rider Stables’ lit the tote when Laffy Crack turned her form around in a big way and won the Santa Maria Stakes (GII) at SA… and didn’t just win, but aired by two lengths in a final time of 1:41.55 for the mile and a sixteenth distance, run on the main track here in SoCal.  Naples closed well to take the second spot, two lengths clear of Starship Twister in third.  It was a neck back to Speedy Ginger in fourth and another length to post time favorite Creepy Crawlies rounded this one out. 

Laffy Crack is a 6yo bay mare by Safecracker – Laffy Panther, by Babooshka, and she was bred in NY by Gdp Inc.  Claimed by Night Rider Stables back in Jul 2019 for $35.000, she now shows seven wins from thirty-three starts, and now has lifetime earnings of $1,240,580.  Congrats to the Connections!        

$2 Mutuel Prices:

Track: Fast           Time: :23³  :47²  1:11   1:41²
$1 Exacta: 1 – 2 Paid 573.50     $1 Trifecta: 1 – 2 – 3 Paid 1,235.00
Scratched: None

Laffy Crack rated behind leader saving ground, moved to 2p rushing up into the far turn to take command into the lane, kept to task, won much the best.  Naples rated well off of the pace, began to gain on the far turn while wide, fanned for the drive, good late effort while no threat to the winner.  Starship Twister even effort, no threat to the top pair.  Speedy Ginger broke sharply setting the pace to the far turn, tired.  Creepy Crawlies off a step slow, rushed up wide to stalk down the backside, in striking distance turning for home, faded. 

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES