Yakteen Packs Powerful 1-2 Punch in Santa Anita Oaks

With trainer Bob Baffert suspended, trainer Tim Yakteen has been handed a loaded arsenal of 3-year-old talent heading into this weekend's stakes action. In the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) April 9, Yakteen will saddle uncoupled stablemates Adare Manor  and Under the Stars  in a final quest to earn coveted points for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 6 at Churchill Downs. 

The 1 1/16-mile Santa Anita Oaks is the premier prep race for the Kentucky Oaks at Santa Anita Park and merits 100 points to the race's winner. Despite the fact Under the Stars and Adare Manor captured designated Kentucky Oaks prep races this season in the Santa Ynez (G2) and Las Virgenes (G3) stakes, respectively, neither filly qualified for any Road to the Oaks points due to the two-year suspension Churchill Downs Inc. issued Baffert for the failed drug test of disqualified 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) victor Medina Spirit.  

Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor, a lightly raced daughter of Uncle Mo  , outclassed her rivals by 13 lengths in the Feb. 6 Las Virgenes Stakes in her stakes debut for Baffert. That followed a maiden romp over the Santa Anita Park main track in January. The rangy dark bay, who captured her last two starts in front-running fashion, could be difficult to catch on the front end, with her stablemate being one of her pace rivals

The regally bred Under the Stars, a half sister to grade 1-winning millionaire and sire Bodemeister  , is the slightly more experienced of the two former Baffert trainees. After graduating in her third start, the Pioneerof the Nile  filly defeated Awake at Midnyte  in the Jan. 8 Santa Ynez Stakes before stretching out to two turns in the March 6 Santa Ysabel (G3). In that effort, she broke slow and exercised her ratability in the 1 1/16-mile contest before falling a half-length short of catching grade 1 winner Eda  at the wire.

Adare Manor will be ridden by John Velazquez and breaks from the outside post in the short field of 5 while Mike Smith takes the reins on Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith's Under the Stars from slot 3.

Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) contender Messier  and Adare Manor each breezed April 2, with Adare Manor timed in 1:00 2/5 for the five furlongs.

"Messier was spectacular, as was (Adare Manor)," said Yakteen. "We’re right on point. The works were just what I was looking for and were perfectly executed.”

The Yakteen duo could face a fitter and much improved Ain't Easy  in the Santa Anita Oaks. A grade 2 winner last fall over the Santa Anita oval, the daughter of Into Mischief   was third in the Santa Ysabel following a five-month layoff. Owned by Old Bones Racing Stable, Michael Lombardi, and Joey Platts, the Phil D'Amato trainee has been turned in three breezes since her Santa Ysabel showing.

She was outworked by stablemate and Santa Anita Oaks longshot Desert Dawn  in a six-furlong breeze in 1:13 2/5 April 3 at Santa Anita.

Juan Hernandez has the call.

MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm's Micro Share , impressive in her last-out maiden score, and H & E Ranch's Desert Dawn, fourth in the Santa Ysabel, complete the field. Beyond the 100 qualifying Kentucky Oaks points to the winner, the Santa Anita Oaks offers points on a 40-20-10 scale for those in second through fourth place.

Entries: Santa Anita Oaks (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 09, 2022, Race 4

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $400,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 1:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Desert Dawn (AZ)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	124	Philip D'Amato	20/1
2	2Ain't Easy (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	124	Philip D'Amato	4/1
3	3Under the Stars (KY)	Mike E. Smith	124	Tim Yakteen	5/2
4	4Micro Share (KY)	Victor Espinoza	124	Richard E. Mandella	6/1
5	5Adare Manor (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	Tim Yakteen	3/5