Santa Maria Stakes – GIII
$100.00 For Fillies And Mares Four Years Old And Upward
1 1/16 Miles – Dirt
Santa Anita Park – April 19, 2026

This writer got this race very right and very wrong as demonstrated by the top two finishers. With a field of eleven fillies and mares apparently looking to find form and get their 2026 season going the right way we made Spirit Storm our pick to win and she came through. At the same time, we virtually dismissed Spelkenfelter Twin and she just missed taking the whole thing in what I would have called a huge upset even though she went off at a surprisingly short 8-1. Exactly what makes racing fun and challenging both in the virtual HRP arena and the real world. You truly never know. 

Winner: Spirit Storm (Nakamura Stables/V. Del-Cid) Spirit Believer/Wildstile Storm (Mahogany Storm) Honestly, with Alcena and Soliloquy Sunset far ahead of her on the lead moving into the far turn I thought Spirit Storm had no shot. Then she began to move with a quarter mile left and her acceleration rate made it clear she was going to be a threat in the stretch. She swung wide and powered home for a convincing win. 

Second: Spelkenfelter Twin (Paradise Stable/K.J. Desormeaux) Box Kite/Polly Spelkenfelter (Edge Of Time) Stalked the pacesetters in tandem with Maiden Jane down the backstretch and was in the perfect spot to reel in the pacesetters in the stretch and she made the most of it circling the two leaders and taking the lead with a furlong to go. Spirit Storm still had a lot of work to do at that point, and it looked like Spelkenfelter Twin might come away with a graded stakes win but the winner was too strong in the final strides. Great effort and almost became the first stakes winner for both her sire and dam. 

Third: No Ones Comparing (Mb Stables/E. Jaramilo) Apples To Oranges/No Ones Laughing (Clockwork Chai) Was content at the back of the pack just ahead of Spirit Storm in the early going. Both began to rally around the final turn but while the winner went wide No Ones Comparing had to look for a way to come through on the inside and that is exactly what she did. Had a bit of an interruption in her stretch run which cost her a bit but I don’t think it cost her much.

Fourth: Wavy Girl (Saratoga Stud/J.J. Hernandez) Declassified/Wavy (Im Too Confident) Rated midpack and then got a dream trip and opening on the rail coming into the homestretch. She willingly moved to challenge but could not match the top finishers and was just caught for third in a good run. 

Preview Pick: Spirit Storm – Winner. 

After placing and being competitive in graded stakes throughout her career Spirit Storm gained her first graded stakes victory with her win in the Santa Maria. It was the first win in this race for both Nakamura Stables and jockey V. Del-Cid. The $60.00 winner’s share of the purse raised the career earnings of Spirit Storm to $808.02. She now has six points towards qualifying for the year end Breeders Cup and stands in fourteenth to gain entry to the Distaff.

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES