Duvet Day, Queen Ofthe Temple Spar Again in Santa Ana

First and second across the finish line when they met last, Duvet Day  and Queen Ofthe Temple  head a field of nine older fillies and mares going 1 1/4 miles on turf March 12 in the $100,000 Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.

Far back early when racing 1 1/2 miles on turf in the ungraded Astra Stakes Jan. 21, Duvet Day, under patient handling from Kuzushi Kimura, swung wide turning for home and won going away by 1 1/4 lengths in an impressive win at odds of 13-1.

Trained by Michael McCarthy and owned by the estate of Burt Bacharach, Jane Bacharach, and Richard Schatz, Duvet Day earned a career-best 96 Equibase Speed Figure in winning the Astra and will hope to be as effective cutting back a quarter of a mile Sunday with Kimura riding for the third consecutive time.

A 4-year-old filly by Starspangledbanner , Duvet Day, who was second in her first two starts in Ireland before joining McCarthy's stable in the fall of 2021, ran eighth, beaten seven lengths, two starts back in the American Oaks (G1T), her only try at 1 1/4 miles on turf. With an overall mark of 3-3-1 in 13 starts, she has earnings of $178,313.

Off at 5-2, Queen Ofthe Temple was attentive to the Astra pace, made the lead turning for home, but was no match for Duvet Day late, finishing second under Juan Hernandez, who rides back Sunday. Trained by Dan Blacker, Queen Ofthe Temple is a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Temple City  . She has been consistent in Southern California starts for owners Radley Equine, Roger Featherston, Rick Gold, and Tony Maslowski.

Sixth, beaten only 2 3/4 lengths three races ago going 1 1/4 miles on turf in the Oct. 8 Rodeo Drive Stakes (G1T), she was third, beaten 4 1/2 lengths two starts back in the Red Carpet Stakes (G3T) at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Del Mar Nov. 24. Queen Ofthe Temple has an overall mark of 1-5-3 in 11 starts with earnings of $157,840.

In her U.S. debut, Australia Mia  was the 8-5 favorite in the Astra. She was forwardly placed but tired to finish third, beaten 3 1/2 lengths with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, who rides back in the Santa Ana. A two-time group 2 winner in Chile, Kentucky-bred Australia Mia is trained by McCarthy and eligible to move up Sunday after a recent race. A 5-year-old mare by Street Sense  , owned by breeder Don Alberto, Australia Mia is 9-2-4 in 20 starts with two wins from four tries at the Santa Ana distance.

Entries: Santa Ana S. (G3T)

Santa Anita Park, Sunday, March 12, 2023, Race 7

• Grade III
• 1 1/4m
• Downhill turf
• $100,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:29 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Annaghlasa (IRE)	Ramon A. Vazquez	120	Philip D'Amato	6/1
2	2Queen Ofthe Temple (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	120	Dan Blacker	7/2
3	3Australia Mia (KY)	Lanfranco Dettori	124	Michael W. McCarthy	3/1
4	4Ascendancy (KY)	Luis Contreras	120	O. J. Jauregui	12/1
5	5Duvet Day (IRE)	Kazushi Kimura	122	Michael W. McCarthy	4/1
6	6Myfavoritedaughter (KY)	Joe Bravo	120	Vladimir Cerin	12/1
7	7Buzz of New York (IRE)	Umberto Rispoli	120	Philip D'Amato	6/1
8	8Harper's Gallop (CA)	John R. Velazquez	120	Leonard Powell	15/1
9	9Ballet Dancing (KY)	Flavien Prat	120	Simon Callaghan	4/1