Miss Bigly, Varda Return in Santa Margarita

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Miss Bigly, Varda Return in Santa Margarita
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Photo: Coady Photography
Miss Bigly wins the Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park

The recent retirement of the reigning West Coast queen As Time Goes By  left a sizable void in the California older mare division. Nine distaffers, topped by the venerable Miss Bigly , will attempt to snare the vacant crown in the April 30 $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

Racing for the partnership of Agave Racing Stable, Living The Dream Stables, and Rockin Robin Racing Stables, Miss Bigly has been a consistent competitor on the older mare circuit for the last few years, winning or placing in her last 10 starts in various outlets across the country. The 6-year-old daughter of Gemologist  began her 2022 campaign at Oaklawn Park for trainer Phil D'Amato, running a solid second to Coach in the Jan. 8 Pippin Stakes before turning the tables on that rival with a decisive score in the Feb. 12 Bayakoa Stakes (G3). Shipped back out to D'Amato's Southern California base, the bay could do no better second—although seven lengths in front of third-place finisher and Santa Margarita foe Varda —to As Time Goes By in that one's career finale last time out in the March 5 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) over this oval.

Ridden back by Ramon Vasquez in the Santa Margarita, Miss Bigly stretches out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time since notching a second-place effort in the Lady Jacqueline Stakes at Thistledown last June.

Baoma Corp.'s Varda, one of an assemblage of horses that were transferred to other trainers following the suspension of Bob Baffert, makes her debut for conditioner Sean McCarthy in the Santa Margarita. A grade 1-winning juvenile, Varda was returning from a 15-month layoff when completing the trifecta behind As Time Goes By and Miss Bigly in the Beholder Mile.

The 4-year-old Distorted Humor  filly has worked a series of five-furlong drills leading into Saturday's contest, last clocking the distance in 1:00.20 at Santa Anita.

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Drayden Van Dyke, who piloted Varda to victory in the 2020 Starlet Stakes (G1), will be aboard.  

Coming off the bench for only her second North American outing in the Santa Margarita is Pozo de Luna's Blue Stripe . The Argentine-bred 5-year-old earned a berth to the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) after annexing the Gran Premio Criadores (G1) in her native country last spring. Trained by Marcelo Polanco, Blue Stripe faltered to seventh at odds of 53-1 in the Distaff and was given a freshening after the race. She has been working steadily at Santa Anita over the winter towards her 2022 opener, recently breezing five-furlongs in 1.00.80. 

Tyler Baze has the call on Blue Stripe.

Earlier on the card, a small field of four drew for the $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes (G3). The 6 1/2-furlong sprint on the main track appears to be a classic East vs. West showdown with six-time stakes winner Brickyard Ride  taking on recent Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes captor Miles Ahead . 

While Jay Em Ess Stable's Miles Ahead will be rolling from off the pace, the speedy Brickyard Ride will attempt to take the field gate to wire on Saturday.

"Everybody knows his game," said Craig Lewis, who trains the 5-year-old California-bred son of Clubhouse Ride  for owner/breeder Alfred Pais. "It's speed." 


Entries: Kona Gold S. (G3)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 30, 2022, Race 4

  • Grade III
  • 6 1/2f
  • Dirt
  • $100,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 2:29 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Tigre Di Slugo (CA) Kyle Frey 122 Mike Puype 7/2
2 2Strike That (FL) Ramon A. Vazquez 122 John W. Sadler 4/1
3 3Brickyard Ride (CA) Juan J. Hernandez 126 Craig Anthony Lewis 6/5
98 4Strongconstitution (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate SCRATCHED 0 UNKNOWN -
4 5Miles Ahead (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Victor Espinoza 126 Brian J. Koriner 8/5


Entries: Santa Margarita S. (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 30, 2022, Race 10

  • Grade II
  • 1 1/8m
  • Dirt
  • $200,000
  • 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 5:36 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Lisette (KY) Mario Gutierrez 120 Patrick Gallagher 15/1
2 2Bellamore (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Victor Espinoza 120 Simon Callaghan 15/1
3 3Blue Stripe (ARG) Tyler Baze 122 Marcelo Polanco 6/1
4 4Park Avenue (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Juan J. Hernandez 120 John W. Sadler 7/2
5 5Midnight Jamboree (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Mike E. Smith 120 William Spawr 8/1
6 6Sharapova (KY) Abel Cedillo 120 Peter Eurton 5/1
7 7Varda (NY) Drayden Van Dyke 120 Sean McCarthy 4/1
8 8Bye Bye Bertie (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Diego A. Herrera 120 Leonard Powell 12/1
9 9Miss Bigly (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ramon A. Vazquez 122 Philip D'Amato 5/2