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ARCADIA, Calif. – The decision by the connections of My Miss Aurelia to leave Santa Anita for the Azeri Stakes on Saturday at Oaklawn Park has further reduced the field for that day’s Grade 1, $300,000 Santa Margarita Stakes here at Santa Anita.
The Santa Margarita now could have as few as five runners, headed by Joyful Victory, who was scheduled to make her second trip to California in less than six months.
Joyful Victory shipped here in September and finished second in the Grade 1 Zenyatta at 1 1/16 miles, beaten only by Love and Pride. Since then, she raced twice last fall at Churchill Downs before a runaway victory last time out in the Houston Ladies Classic on Jan. 26.
Although she has finished second twice and third once in Grade 1 stakes, Joyful Victory has yet to win a Grade 1 race. Her chances increased exponentially with My Miss Aurelia leaving town.
Entries for the 1 1/8-mile Santa Margarita – the championship race of the meet for older fillies and mares – were scheduled to be taken Wednesday. In addition to Joyful Victory – to be ridden by Rosie Napravnik – the Santa Margarita field was expected to include Great Hot, More Chocolate, Snow Fall, and The Only Key.
Great Hot is coming off a front-running victory in the Santa Maria on Feb. 16. Snow Fall was fourth in that race. More Chocolate has not raced since capturing the La Canada on Jan. 20. The Only Key would be the longshot. She was second in a first-level allowance on turf in her last start.
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Alright! Rosie is coming back to Santa Anita. Get ready, Gary (if you're back on Great Hot). This gal can ride!
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I guess the connections of My Miss Aurelia have doubts whether she can get 9 furlongs. The 9 furlongs of the Santa Margarita vs. the 8.5 furlongs of the Azeri would appear to be the reason for going in the Azeri, because I doubt the Santa Margarita field will be any tougher than the Azeri.
Joyful Victory is in career form, but we basically know what we're getting from her. The only way the Santa Margarita ends up drawing a positive review when we look back upon it in the future is if More Chocolate turns out to be a dirt monster, which is a possibility.
Otherwise, yes this a yawning rendition of a great race; the Santa Margarita deserves a better field.
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This race is full of tomato cans with legs. A stagger fest in the stretch.This race should be a G3 tops.
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Where is the top mare from last year, Include Me Out?
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This will probably end up being the weakest Gr.1 race of the year for older horses
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Rosie & JV smoke em!!!...ty...
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Santa Margarita,features the best rivalry currently in horse racing,
Brushed By A Star 2 vs Joyful Victory 1
Round 4 Sat.
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Bright Thought WIRE TO WIRE! BOOM!
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Best Bets
SWEET MARINI should win this sprint for California N1X fillies and mares at a short price. The lightly raced gray ran super one month ago in a two-turn stakes; she set all the pace but was collared in deep stretch. It was just her third start, and her first around two turns. Now she shortens in distance, drops in class, and can be gone late at odds-on. ZUZU'S PETALS came out firing in her debut, winning a by a length and a half over a filly (Tribal Chatter) that returned Thursday to win a maiden race.
