Can anyone defeat Phil D'Amato's trio in the April 21 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park?
D'Amato appears to have the field surrounded, with Desert Dawn, a multiple graded stakes winner at Santa Anita; Turnerloose, a graded stakes winner at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and multiple graded stakes-placed in California; and Super Shine, a newcomer to the United States but a multiple group winner in her native Argentina.
Sporting a $200,000 purse, the Santa Maria, a 1 1/16-mile event on the dirt, could make 5-year-old Desert Dawn a millionaire if she finishes first or second, something well within her abilities. Winner of this year's La Canada Stakes (G3) and the 2022 Santa Anita Oaks (G2), the daughter of Cupid most recently ran fourth behind Sweet Azteca and Adare Manor in the March 9 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1). Antonio Fresu rode Desert Dawn in the Beholder and returns in the Santa Maria from post 3.
Turnerloose, to be piloted by Kazushi Kimura from post 6, has been competing primarily on turf since D'Amato took over her training in 2023. The 5-year-old daughter of Nyquist ran second in the 2023 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) on turf at Del Mar, but two starts back she finished third in the Bayakoa Stakes (G3) on dirt at Los Alamitos Race Course prior to a fourth in the Wilshire Stakes (G3T) back on turf.
Super Shine gets an international rider in Frankie Dettori from post 5 for her U.S. debut. She hasn't run in almost a year, but the 5-year-old daughter of Super Saver won last year's Arturo R. y Arturo Bullrich (G2) and the 2022 General Luis Maria Campos (G2) in Argentina. Her Argentine record is 4-4-1 in 10 starts.
Challengers From Other Trainers
Blue Dream Machine has only started once, winning by a half-length at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 23 when trained by Jacinto Solis. Richard Baltas now has the 4-year-old daughter of Arrogate, and she turned in a bullet five-furlong work of 1:00 3/5 at San Luis Rey Downs April 13. Abner Adorno, who won aboard her at Aqueduct, will ride from post 4.
Coffee in Bed, trained by Richard Mandella, finished second to Desert Dawn in the La Canada and then ran sixth in the Beholder while wide on the second turn. Mandella has named Mike Smith to ride the 4-year-old daughter of Curlin from post 7.
Princess Bettina (Edwin Maldonado, post 2) has spent most of her career trained by Peter Eurton in California, where she won the 2023 China Doll Stakes and ran third in the 2023 Lady of Shamrock Stakes. Owner/breeder Donald Dizney sent her to Todd Pletcher for a couple of starts back East last summer, and she finished third in the Penn Oaks at Penn National. Primarily a turf performer, the 4-year-old daughter of Will Take Charge has run second and fifth In two allowance optional claiming turf races thus far this year.
Big Novel, a California-bred 5-year-old daughter of Mr. Big trained by John Sadler, has placed in five stakes, all for state-breds. She is coming off a 5 1/2-length allowance optional claimer victory and will be ridden by Juan Hernandez from the rail.
Liberal Lady, trained by Leonard Powell, is making her stakes debut, to be ridden by Umberto Rispoli from post 8. The 4-year-old Louisiana-bred daughter of Mor Spirit most recently won an allowance optional claimer.
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, April 21, 2024, Race 9Entries: Santa Maria S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Big Novel (CA) Juan J. Hernandez 120 John W. Sadler 8/1 2 2Princess Bettina (FL) Edwin A. Maldonado 120 Peter Eurton 20/1 3 3Desert Dawn (AZ) Antonio Fresu 122 Philip D'Amato 9/5 4 4Blue Dream Machine (KY) Abner Adorno 120 Richard Baltas 10/1 5 5Super Shine (ARG) Lanfranco Dettori 120 Philip D'Amato 4/1 6 6Turnerloose (KY) Kazushi Kimura 120 Philip D'Amato 8/1 7 7Coffee in Bed (KY) Mike E. Smith 120 Richard E. Mandella 5/2 8 8Liberal Lady (LA) Umberto Rispoli 120 Leonard Powell 10/1
