Private Mission, Blue Stripe Tussle in Santa Maria

Idle since March 13, two-time graded stakes winner Private Mission  returns against Blue Stripe  and four other fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles in the $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) June 18 at Santa Anita Park.

A 6 1/2-length winner of the Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) at one mile last summer at Del Mar, Baoma-owned Private Mission came back to roll to a 2 1/4-length win in the Zenyatta Stakes (G2) going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita Park in early October. Distanced after leading early in a fast-paced Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 6, she cut back to seven furlongs in the La Brea Stakes (G1) Dec. 26 and ran a disappointing sixth as the 3-5 favorite.

Subsequently second, beaten seven lengths in the Las Flores Stakes (G3) behind Edgeway  going six furlongs March 13, Private Mission has again been freshened and has a solid work tab for her return in what will be her first start for trainer Sean McCarthy, who is pinch-hitting for the currently suspended Bob Baffert.

With four wins from eight starts, the Into Mischief   filly has earnings of $277,300 and will be ridden for the second time in a row by Juan Hernandez.

Argentine-bred Blue Stripe, trained by Marcelo Polanco, comes off a sharp recent win in the Santa Margarita Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita April 30 and should contend with Tyler Baze riding her back. A group 1 winner in Argentina, 5-year-old Blue Stripe was never a factor in her U.S. debut, the Breeders' Cup Distaff, but she fared better against easier in running down favored Miss Bigly  by a length in her second stateside appearance in the Santa Margarita.

Owned by Pozo de Luna, the Equal Stripes  mare is 5-0-2 in eight starts with earnings of $181,882.

Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing, and Richard Hausman's Lady Mystify  returns to Santa Anita following four out-of-town appearances, the most recent a dead-heat third going 1 1/16 miles in the Baird Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) at Keeneland April 22. The Peter Eurton-trained daughter of Bernardini  took the Remington Park Oaks (G3) last year as a 3-year-old.

Lady Mystify and Private Mission are the anticipated front-runners in Santa Maria, with Blue Stripe expected to stalk the pace, as she effectively did in the Santa Margarita.

Baoma and McCarthy will also be represented by another filly previously trained by Baffert, Varda , who was third, beaten 7 1/2 lengths by Blue Stripe in the Santa Margarita. That marked just the second start for the Distorted Humor  filly since taking the 2020 Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course as a juvenile. Her first race back was a well-beaten third in the Beholder Mile (G1) March 5.

Longshots Bye Bye Bertie  and Midnight Jamboree  round out the short field.

Entries: Santa Maria S. (G2)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, June 18, 2022, Race 7

• Grade II
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 4:08 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Lady Mystify (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	124	Peter Eurton	3/1
2	2Bye Bye Bertie (KY)	Victor Espinoza	122	Leonard Powell	5/1
3	3Blue Stripe (ARG)	Tyler Baze	126	Marcelo Polanco	5/2
4	4Private Mission (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	124	Sean McCarthy	9/5
5	5Midnight Jamboree (KY)	Kyle Frey	122	William Spawr	12/1
6	6Varda (NY)	Drayden Van Dyke	122	Sean McCarthy	5/1