Splendora, Seismic Beauty Target Santa Margarita Stakes

Even though the six fillies and mares entered in the May 25 Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita are based in Southern California, they have taken different routes to get to the race. The three veterans have traveled far and wide to amass stakes victories throughout the country, while the three relative newcomers have stuck close to home without meeting each other. Trainer Bob Baffert has two of the more lightly raced runners: 4-year-olds Splendora and Seismic Beauty. Both could do well in the 1 1/8-mile Santa Margarita, which Baffert has won four times, including the past two editions with Adare Manor. These two aren't of Adare Manor's caliber—yet—but they have admirable credentials. Splendora, a daughter of Audible, has started six times, with two wins and three seconds. Two of those placings came in the seven-furlong La Brea Stakes (G1) Dec. 26 and 1 1/16-mile Santa Maria Stakes (G2) April 19. Baffert won the Santa Maria with Richi (CHI), who defeated Splendora by 4 1/2 lengths. "They were both in a good spot," Baffert said after the Santa Maria. "It was the first time going two turns for (Splendora), and I think she got a lot out of it. She needed that; she'll get better and improve." Seismic Beauty brings the more eye-catching form into the Santa Margarita, though she will be making her stakes debut. The daughter of Uncle Mo has two wins, two seconds, and a third in five starts, but she trounced her competition in both of her wins. The first was by five lengths in a maiden race at Del Mar Aug. 30, while in her most recent start, a one-mile allowance/optional claimer at Santa Anita April 18, the margin was 10 lengths. "That was a performance we were always hoping would come," said Joe Moran of MyRacehorse, which owns Seismic Beauty with Peter Leidel. "It just took us a lot longer than we had originally planned to get her to go around two turns. But we always felt that she was a big, scopey filly who was going to handle the two-turn distance. She's doing great." Juan Hernandez has ridden both Baffert fillies and sticks with Splendora from post 4. Antonio Fresu, who won his first stakes for Baffert aboard Richi in the Santa Maria, will ride Seismic Beauty from post 6. "I think the outside draw helps us," Moran said. "She's a filly who's keen and fast, and I think you've just got to stay out of her own way. But we'll leave the instructions up to Bob." Where's My Ring, one of the veterans, has met each of the Baffert fillies once, both races at Santa Anita. Splendora and Where's My Ring ran second and fourth in a maiden race in late 2023, and Seismic Beauty finished second, 2 1/4 lengths ahead of Where's My Ring, in a Feb. 8 allowance/optional claimer. In between, however, Where's My Ring has tackled grade 1 competition and 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna at Churchill Downs, Saratoga Race Course, and Oaklawn Park. She won the 2024 Gazelle Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct before running 10th after a rough trip behind winner Thorpedo Anna in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Where's My Ring lost again to Thorpedo Anna when seventh in the Acorn Stakes (G1). She fared better in the April 12 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), still losing to Thorpedo Anna, but third this time. Peter Miller takes over training duties on Where's My Ring, previously conditioned by Val Brinkerhoff. Mike Smith, who has ridden the 4-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy once before, when she ran third in an allowance/optional claimer Feb. 8, will be up from post 3. Alpha Bella has spent much of her career in graded company, first in the East when trained by Todd Pletcher and now in California under the tutelage of John Sadler. A 5-year-old daughter of Justify, Alpha Bella has four seconds in California, three on dirt and most recently in the March 29 Wilshire Stakes (G3T) on turf. Last year she won the La Prevoyante Stakes (G3) on turf at Gulfstream Park. Umberto Rispoli will ride Alpha Bella from post 5. The mare has Preakness (G1) connections, not only getting the winning jockey in Rispoli, but also being owned and bred by the Don Alberto Corporation, which bred and co-owns Preakness hero Journalism. Michael McCarthy, who trains Journalism, brings Princess of Time into the Santa Margarita. The 5-year-old daughter of Not This Time is making her stakes debut. She won back-to-back races in 2024 and then was off a year before finishing third in a March 28 allowance/optional claimer. Kazushi Kimura will ride from post 2. Liberal Lady, a 5-year-old daughter of Mor Spirit trained by Leonard Powell, rounds out the field. Second in the She's a Tiger Stakes at Pleasanton last year, the Louisiana-bred most recently traveled to Fair Grounds. There she scored an easy three-length victory in the March 23 Shantel Lanerie Memorial Stakes for Louisiana-breds at 1 mile, 70 yards. Assael Espinoza rides from the rail in the Santa Margarita.