Santa Barbara Stakes ($100.000 Purse)
SA- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Half on the Turf
May 11, 2024

In a four-horse field, it did seem like Poetic Panther was the one to beat, thanks to a strong performance in the Orchid her last time out. However, she would be at a disadvantage in the race, needing to carry six more pounds than everyone in the field, and that turned some bettors towards one of her rivals. We still believed in her when making her our pick, and she would take care of business with a wire-to-wire win over the twelve furlongs. It’s the first win in the Santa Barbara Stakes for her trainer, Maletto, and the second for jockey M E Smith. Congratulations to them! The time of the race was 2:25.49, not one of the quicker times, but all that was needed. Let’s take a look:

(½ Mile- :47.98)- From the start of the race, the eventual winner, Maletto’s Poetic Panther battles it out up front with TwinTowersRacing’s Era Of Nebraska. After half a mile, Poetic Panther leads that rival by a neck. It’s two lengths to the third place, Mb Stables- owned Profound Ease, and three more to the trailer, Catelyn, who’s out of Mo Mentum Farm.

(3/4 Mile- 1:12.50)- Finishing the first frontstretch and moving into the clubhouse turn, Poetic Panther and Era Of Nebraska are still running together at the front of the field, with Poetic Panther ahead by half a length. Profound Ease is still about two lengths behind them, but Catelyn is being left behind very early.

(Top of Stretch, 1.5F To Go)- At the top of the backstretch, Poetic Panther was getting the upper hand on Era Of Nebraska and would pull ahead by a length. That’s how the top two would be position throughout the backstretch, and Profound Ease started to creep a little closer. Even Catelyn was cutting into her deficit, she simply left a large gap to have to overcome. Poetic Panther would then comfortably handle the turn and looked to be in control entering the stretch. Meanwhile, Profound Ease, who was the post time favorite, had caught Era Of Nebraska and was imminently going to take over the second spot. She’d have enough time to catch the leader, as well. Catelyn still trailed the field, and it would take an incredible effort on her part to pull out a win.

(Finish- 2:25.49)- Poetic Panther was clearly not the fastest horse in the stretch, but the question would be whether or not she would be good enough to hold off Profound Ease. That one was coming, but not quite quickly enough. Poetic Panther would not allow the extra weight to drag her down even as Profound Ease was pulling up beside her, as she pulls off the win! Catelyn dug herself way too big of a hole early on but closed well to be third. Era Of Nebraska was fourth.

About The Winner- Poetic Panther, trained by Maletto and ridden to victory by M E Smith, is a four-year-old filly by Lil Pink Panther and is out of the late Poetic Dancer. She was bred as a first quarter two-year-old by Two Hearts One Love in Florida and was acquired by Maletto in the September 2022 auction from Mb Stables for $19.050. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her seventh in 18 starts and her fourth stake win. Her career earnings are now $493.520.

Track: Firm
Time: :47⁴  1:12²  2:01  2:25²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 4 – 1 Paid 4.40

Scratched: Woman Up

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded