Eda Edges Under the Stars in Santa Ysabel

Despite Bob Baffert being ineligible to run horses in this year's Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) and Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1), the trainer has certainly taken his fair share of the prep races this past spring, with the March 6 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) being no exception. The conditioner sent out the powerful duo of grade 1 winner Eda  and recent Santa Ynez Stakes (G2) victress Under the Stars  and the pair rewarded him with a 1-2 finish in the $100,000 stakes event for 3-year-old fillies. The race was worth 50 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

As the gates sprang open, Eda was hustled to the front under jockey Juan Hernandez and maintained her one length margin past a quarter-mile in :23.62, a half-mile in :48.05 and six furlongs in 1:12.48. Turning for home,  Eda's stablemate Under the Stars, going off as the slight favorite, and Chandelier Stakes (G2) winner Ain't Easy  pounced on the Munnings   filly's lead. Given the nudge from Hernandez, Eda surged clear of her rivals and held off late charge of Under the Stars, who closed resolutely down the lane but could not catch her stablemate.

Eda ($3.30) prevailed by a half-length over Under the Stars with Ain't Easy another 3 3/4-lengths back in third.

“She was comfortable the whole race, she broke really sharp today and I got a good position,” said Hernandez, who had ridden her to victory in the Dec. 4 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course. “I was outside and when she broke like that, I just came to the rail and just let her run. I asked her around the quarter pole when I felt the inside horse and the outside horse closing in. I told her it was time to go and she picked it up pretty good.”

The Baoma Corp. color-bearer ran the 1 1/6-miles on a fast track in 1:44.31.

“Both of my fillies were training really well and I was debating whether to run her, there was another spot,” said Baffert.  “It was either run here or go to Sunland Park.  I thought, well, we’ll keep her here.  She worked well coming into this and I’m happy both of my horses ran well…I don’t know where I’m going to run them next.  We’ll definitely be in the (April 9) Santa Anita Oaks (G2) with someone, but I don’t know yet.”

Old Bones Racing Stable, Michael Lombardi, and Joey Platts' Ain't Easy earned 10 points towards the Kentucky Oaks for her showing.

Eda improved her record to 5-1-0 from seven starts and upped her earnings to $430,000. The Santa Ysabel was her fourth straight stakes victory.

Bred in Kentucky by Nathan McCauley, Eda is the first foal out of he winning Lemon Drop Kid  mare Show Me. Eda passed through the sales ring twice, first bringing $240,000 as a yearling at the 2020 Keeneland September Sale when selling to Quarter Pole Enterprises from the Paramount Sales consignment and again as a 2-year-old at the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of Two-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale when she was offered by the Eddie Woods consignment and dropped the hammer for $550,000. Agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket on behalf of Boama Corp.

A race after the Santa Ysabel Stakes, Panic Stable's Lucky Girl  made it back-to-back Santa Anita stakes scores when capturing the $100,000 China Doll Stakes by 3/4 of a length over An Agent Mistake . 

Favored Sterling Crest  completing the trifecta.

Lucky Girl ($14), ridden by Joe Bravo, ran the mile in 1:36.02 on a firm turf course.

Trained by Richard Baltas, the 3-year-old daughter of Exceed and Excel  had broken her maiden last out when streaking home a decisive winner of the Jan. 30 Lady of Shamrock Stakes over the Santa Anita oval.

Video: Santa Ysabel S. (G3)

Video: China Doll S. (BT)