Adare Manor makes short work of Las Virgenes

ARCADIA, Calif. - The Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita on Sunday was officially run at a mile. The race was over after about six furlongs.

Adare Manor ($2.80) took the lead with slightly more than a half-mile remaining and drew clear to a comfortable win by 13 lengths under jockey John Velazquez. She earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure, surpassing the 92 Beyer from her maiden win as the highest so far this year by a 3-year-old filly.

“This is a nice win, a very nice win,” Velazquez said.

Trained by Bob Baffert for Michael Petersen, Adare Manor ran a mile in 1:37.11 in her stakes debut in the $200,000 Las Virgenes. Adare Manor was a heavy favorite on the basis of a comprehensive win in a maiden special weight race at a mile by 12 lengths in her third start, and first around two turns, on Jan. 7.

Velazquez rode Adare Manor for the first time on Jan. 7, a day the filly led throughout. In the Las Virgenes, Adare Manor stalked 5-1 Gracelund Gray through an opening quarter-mile in 22.72 seconds before taking the lead through a half-mile in 46.66.

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“When she got to the backstretch, I put my hands down and she got into that long stride that she has,” Velazquez said. “I let her do her thing. It set up very nicely.”

Adare Manor was quickly clear of three rivals, leading by four lengths with a quarter-mile remaining and by nine lengths through the stretch. When Adare Manor reached the sixteenth pole, Velazquez stopped urging the filly.

“I took a couple of peeks,” Velazquez said. “I saw on the (infield) TV I was pretty far in front. I eased her up by the sixteenth pole.”

Queen of Thorns, the eight-length winner of a maiden special weight at seven furlongs in her debut on Jan. 1, finished second, 1 1/4 lengths clear of 15-1 Miss Everything. The Las Virgenes Stakes was the second start for 5-2 Queen of Thorns, who is trained by Peter Eurton.

“In time, this filly will develop when she fills out,” Eurton said.

Gracelund Gray faded to finish last in the small field. Baffert scratched Eda on Sunday morning. Eda won her final three starts of 2021, a span that included the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos in December.

Adare Manor, by Uncle Mo, was purchased for $375,000 at a 2-year-olds in-training sale last year. Adare Manor has won 2 of 4 starts and has earned $176,600. She was second and fourth in her first two starts in maiden special weight races at sprint distances at Santa Anita and Del Mar last October and November.

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The Las Virgenes Stakes is part of the build-up to the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 6, and the Santa Anita Oaks on April 9.

The winner of the Las Virgenes was scheduled to receive 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks, but that will not apply to Adare Manor since Baffert is currently banned by Churchill Downs from the 2022 Kentucky Oaks, and the Kentucky Derby, after his Medina Spirit had a medication overage from his win in the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

No Baffert-trained runners are permitted to earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks or Kentucky Derby, following a decision issued by Churchill Downs management in 2021.