Plein Air Seeks Another Marathon Win in Santa Barbara

Sunny Brook Stables' Plein Air will aim to build upon her stakes-winning U.S. debut with her second try in a Southern California marathon race April 28 in the Santa Barbara Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.

Already a stakes winner in Italy, the 5-year-old daughter of Manduro aced her first start for trainer Bob Baffert with a frontrunning victory in the Jan. 14 Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on the Santa Anita grass.

SHEA: Plein Air Takes Astra in First US Start

Although she will step up to the graded level in the Santa Barbara at the same distance, Plein Air won't face a graded winner in the field of six—unlike the Astra, when she held off 2017 Santa Barbara winner Evo Campo by three-quarters of a length.

In to challenge Plein Air is a quartet from the barn of trainer Richard Baltas—Lucy De and Queen Blossom (who finished third and fifth, respectively, in the Astra), and multiple allowance winners Pantsonfire and Space Cadet.

"All the horses are doing so well, so we're going to take a shot," Baltas said.

Rounding out the field is last-out optional-claiming allowance winner Causeforcommotion, who stalked the pace and just got up to win by a neck March 4 at Santa Anita. The second-place finisher from that race, Vasilika, won her next two races at Santa Anita.

Entries: Santa Barbara S. (G3T)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, April 28, 2018, Race 4

• Grade III
• 1 1/2m
• Downhill turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 1:35 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Lucy De (CA)	Kent J. Desormeaux	122	Richard Baltas	3/1
2	2Pantsonfire (IRE)	Corey S. Nakatani	122	Richard Baltas	2/1
3	3Queen Blossom (IRE)	Flavien Prat	122	Richard Baltas	8/1
4	4Causeforcommotion (KY)	Geovanni Franco	122	J. Eric Kruljac	6/1
5	5Space Cadet (KY)	Franklin Ceballos	122	Richard Baltas	12/1
6	6Plein Air (IRE)	Tyler Baze	122	Bob Baffert	8/5