Deluge will try to become the third consecutive winner of the Oak Leaf Stakes (G2) trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Juan Hernandez when she starts in the 1 1/16-mile race for juvenile fillies that offers a purse of $200,000.
As the 8-5 morning-line favorite for this year's renewal Oct. 3 at Santa Anita, she has the credentials to follow Non Compliant in 2024 and Explora in 2025 to the winner's circle.
Baffert, as usual, will bring more than one bullet to the Oak Leaf, which as a Breeders' Cup Challenge race offers a fee-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Baffert also has Holmby, pegged at 9-5 on the morning line, and Quattro Passi at 5-2.
Hernandez has ridden both Deluge and Holmby and opts for the former, a daughter of Maximus Mischief who won her only previous outing, a five-furlong maiden race on the turf at Del Mar, by a neck. Holmby has more experience. The daughter of Corniche won her first two races, including the Sorrento Stakes (G3), and then finished third in the Del Mar Debutante (G1). Ricardo Gonzalez rode Holmby that day and returns for the Oak Leaf.
Of the trio, Quattro Passi owns the single most impressive performance. Mike Smith, who will ride in the Oak Leaf, was aboard both times she faced the starter. Second in her first race, she returned to trounce maidens by 9 1/4 lengths Sept. 6 at Del Mar.
California-bred Free Closer, trained by Michael McCarthy, owns the best chance, according to the morning line, to upset the Baffert horses at 6-1. She is by Pavel , whose offspring had a sensational Del Mar meeting. In four starts, she had two wins, including in the CTBA Stakes by 8 1/4 lengths. Free Closer ran fourth in the Debutante.
Domain Expansion, a daughter of Speaker's Corner trained by Leonard Powell, and Janie Not Jeanie, a daughter of Mandaloun trained by Doug O'Neill, round out the field. Both are maidens.
Entries: Oak Leaf S. presented by Oak Tree Racing Association (G2)
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 3, 2026, Race 3
- Grade II
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $200,000
- 2 yo Fillies
- 2:01 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1Quattro Passi (KY) | Mike E. Smith | 122 | Bob Baffert | 5/2 |
| 2 | 2Holmby (IN) | Ricardo Gonzalez | 122 | Bob Baffert | 9/5 |
| 3 | 3Domain Expansion (KY) | Adrian Escobedo | 122 | Leonard Powell | 20/1 |
| 4 | 4Free Closer (CA) | Joel Rosario | 122 | Michael W. McCarthy | 6/1 |
| 5 | 5Janie Not Jeanie (KY) | Kazushi Kimura | 122 | Doug F. O'Neill | 20/1 |
| 6 | 6Deluge (KY) | Juan J. Hernandez | 122 | Bob Baffert | 8/5 |
THOUGHT PROCESS HEADS RODEO DRIVE
Thought Process, a two-time graded winner on the Santa Anita turf this year, tops a field of 11 in the $200,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2T). She is one of three Phil D'Amato trainees in the 1 1/4-mile turf stakes that offers a fees-paid berth to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).
A 4-year-old daughter of Collected , Thought Process has never lost in four starts at Santa Anita. She won the 2024 Surfer Girl Stakes (G3T) prior to an unplaced effort in that year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). Thought Process added an allowance win at Santa Anita in 2025, followed by back-to-back scores in this year's Buena Vista (G2T) and Gamely (G1T) stakes.
She most recently finished second in the John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar. This will be her first try over 1 1/4 miles, and she is the 4-5 morning-line favorite. Hector Berrios, who has ridden Thought Process most of her career, will again be aboard.
D'Amato has also entered Public Assembly and Kentucky Gal, both longshots. Public Assembly won the 2025 Royal Heroine Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita. She hasn't won since, but has several stakes-placings. Kentucky Gal won the June 12 Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita at the same distance as the Rodeo Drive.
Of the others, the two given the best chance on the morning line are May Day Ready, coming off a stakes win at Kentucky Downs and the second choice at 5-1, and Vronti, coming off a stakes win at Del Mar and the third choice at 6-1. Richard Mandella trains May Day Ready, and Graham Motion, who does well shipping to California, trains Vronti.
Saffie Joseph Jr. also has enjoyed good luck shipping to California, as he proved with Forged Steel in the Sept. 26 Goodwood Stakes (G1). He brings Dona Clota, whose last win was three back in a grade 3 at Delaware Park.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 3, 2026, Race 10Entries: Rodeo Drive S. (G2T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Thought Process (KY) Hector Isaac Berrios 126 Philip D'Amato 4/5 2 2Resolve (KY) Armando Ayuso 122 Leonard Powell 30/1 3 3Dona Clota (CHI) Micah J. Husbands 124 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 15/1 4 4Totally Justified (KY) Joseph C. Bealmear 122 Anna M. Meah 30/1 5 5Public Assembly (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 122 Philip D'Amato 15/1 6 6Kentucky Gal (IRE) Joel Rosario 122 Philip D'Amato 20/1 7 7Hey Jessie (CA) Emisael Jaramillo 122 Sean McCarthy 10/1 8 8Victorious Dream (IRE) Ricardo Gonzalez 118 Michael W. McCarthy 20/1 9 9May Day Ready (KY) Kazushi Kimura 122 Richard E. Mandella 5/1 10 10The Mizen Queen (IRE) Kyle Frey 122 Dan Blacker 30/1 11 11Vronti (GB) Juan J. Hernandez 122 H. Graham Motion 6/1
THERMAL COULD HEAT UP CHILLINGWORTH
Though the Oct. 3 Chillingworth Stakes (G3) doesn't offer any financial Breeders' Cup incentives, it gives female sprinters an opportunity to sort themselves out for either the seven-furlong Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) or the six-furlong Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) against males. The Chillingworth splits the difference at 6 1/2 furlongs.
John Sadler trains Thermal, a 5-year-old daughter of Nyquist —Full Tap, by Tapit . Thermal became a stakes winner in the May 25 Memorial Day Sprint Stakes at Lone Star Park, and she did it in glorious fashion, by 8 1/4 lengths. She then ran second in the Rancho Bernardo Stakes (G3) at Del Mar, but that was to Sweet Azteca, who defeats just about anyone she runs against.
Joel Rosario rode Thermal for the first time in the Rancho Bernardo and returns for the Chillingworth. Sadler and Rosario recently successfully collaborated with champion Super Corredora in the Zenyatta Stakes (G2).
Joseph is shipping in Paradise City, a 4-year-old daughter of McKinzie who won the Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows. Paradise City then took a big swing in the Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, but finished mid-pack.
Toaster is also by McKinzie, but a year younger. She hails from the Baffert barn and is undefeated in two starts. Toaster makes her stakes debut in the Chillingworth.
Stakes winner Rosie Jeeks and graded stakes-placed Our Moonlight and No Bad Beats complete the field.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, October 3, 2026, Race 2Entries: Chillingworth S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Thermal (ON) Joel Rosario 124 John W. Sadler 2/1 2 2No Bad Beats (KY) Emisael Jaramillo 122 Leonard Powell 12/1 3 3Our Moonlight (KY) Tiago Josue Pereira 122 Dean Pederson 6/1 4 4Paradise City (KY) Micah J. Husbands 124 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 7/2 5 5Toaster (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 118 Bob Baffert 6/5 6 6Rosie Jeeks (FL) Kyle Frey 124 Neil D. Drysdale 30/1
