Queen Blossom Breaks Slump in Santa Barbara Stakes

The law of averages were in trainer Richard Baltas' favor in the $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes (G3T) April 28.

With four of the race's six entrants coming from his barn, it figured to take quite the effort to keep one of his own from ending up victorious in the 1 1/2-mile test. Sure enough, after longshot Space Cadet made most of the running, stablemate Queen Blossom took over when it counted to best Causeforcommotion by a half-length over the Santa Anita Park course.

Owned by Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing, Queen Blossom was winless in her last 11 starts, including an 0-for-9 streak stateside since coming over from Ireland in 2016. The  5-year-old daughter of Jeremy finished seventh last time out in a 1 1/8-mile optional-claiming allowance test April 7, but the 12-furlong distance proved to be what the bay mare needed to get over the hump as she earned her first victory since the 2016 Lodge Park Stud E.B.F. Park Express Stakes (G3) at the Curragh.

"This is great. She's a really nice mare, and this is what we set out for her to do," said owner Bing Bush of Abbondanza Racing. "The longer distance really suited her well. She came into this well … she's finally just coming into herself. It all just came together for us today."

With Flavian Prat in the irons, Queen Blossom trailed the running in the early stages of the Santa Barbara but had advanced her way to third first time past the judges while Space Cadet cut fractions of :24.57 and :48.92, with 4-5 favorite Plein Air pressing the issue.

Queen Blossom remained in that spot approaching the far turn, edging off the rail as Causeforcommotion made her bid outside to take over the lead at the head of the lane. The former kept coming with a determined kick in the stretch to win in 2:27.65 over a downhill course rated firm.

Stablemate Pantsonfire was third, with another Baltas runner, Lucy De, crossing the wire in fourth. Plein Air and Space Cadet completed the order of finish.

Bred by Irish National Stud, Queen Blossom was purchased by Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing for $220,000 out of the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall mixed sale. She is out of the Mark of Esteem mare Mark of an Angel.