Warren’s Veneda gains favorite’s role for Santa Maria Stakes
Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) – Paseana Stakes winner Warren’s Veneda is the 5-2 morning line favorite versus nine other fillies and mares for Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes at Santa Anita.
Trained by Craig Lewis, Warren’s Veneda will start the 1 1/16-mile stakes from post 6 with her regular jockey Tyler Baze. Baze has been aboard the 5-year-old chestnut mare the last four starts as she worked her way up to victory in the Paseana on Jan. 11.
“I had the perfect trip,” said Baze concerning his ride in the 1 1/16-mile Paseana. “I wanted to keep her a little closer then I was at Los Alamitos last time out. She gives me everything she’s got every time she runs. It’s amazing to have a nice filly like that.”
Warren’s Veneda, owned by her breeder Benjamin Warren, was second to Tiz Midnight in Los Alamitos’ Bayakoa on Dec. 6 one year after finishing third in the stakes at Hollywood Park.
The mare has earned $467,612 with six wins, three seconds and five thirds in 20 lifetime starts.
The 3-1 co-second picks in the 10-horse field are Thegirlinthatsong and Tiz Midnight, breaking from posts 2 and 3, respectively.
Thegirlinthatsong, trained and co-owned by Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, will again be ridden by Rafael Bejarano. Bejarano rode the 4-year-old filly to an upset victory in the La Canada on Jan. 17 over even-money favorite Lexie Lou, last year’s Queen’s Plate champ.
“I had a beautiful trip. By the three-eighths pole I still felt I had a lot of horse and when I let her go in the stretch she took off,” Bejarano said.
The filly was second to Cassatt in the Zia Park Oaks on Nov. 24 and last Oct. 25 she was fifth to Lexie Lou in Santa Anita’s Autumn Miss Stakes.
Thegirlinthatsong has earned $407,695 with five wins, four seconds and thirds from 19 lifetime starts.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will give a leg up to Victor Espinoza for Tiz Midnight. The lightly raced 5-year-old will also be making her second start of the year after finishing sixth as the 7-10 favorite in the Paseana.
Tiz Midnight finished third and second in her first two career starts in 2013, eight months apart. Last year, she broke her maiden second time out and then reeled off two more wins.
The mare, owned by Karl Watson, Mike Pegram and Paul Weitman, was second to multiple Eclipse Award winner Beholder in the Zenyatta Stakes last Sept. 27 and sixth to Untapable in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.
Tiz Midnight has four wins, three seconds and a third in 10 lifetime starts for $334,970.
Here is the complete field for the Santa Maria Stakes in post position order: Yahilwa, Gary Stevens, 6-1: Thegirlinthatsong, Rafael Bejarano, 3-1; Tiz Midnight, Victor Espinoza, 3-1; Uzziel, Fernando Perez, 20-1; Legacy, Joe Talamo, 15-1; Warren’s Veneda, Tyler Baze, 5-2; Sweet Marini, Martin Garcia, 8-1; Awesome Baby, Flavien Prat, 8-1; Backintheacademy, Brandon Boulanger, 20-1 and Valiant Emilia, Tiago Pereira, 12-1.
Post time for the Santa Maria will be approximately 7 p.m. ET.
Categorized in: Horses