Elm Drive knows path to victory in Great Lady M. Stakes

When Elm Drive won the Grade 3 Monrovia Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on April 8 at Santa Anita, she broke from the rail, stalked the early pace, and won by slightly less than a length while making her start since September.

It turns out the Monrovia Stakes was a dress rehearsal for Tuesday’s Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos.

Elm Drive has drawn the rail in a field of nine and is highly likely to have a stalking trip in the opening furlongs of the $200,000 race.

“She will be very tactical,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Elm Drive, third in the 2022 Great Lady M. Stakes, is one of six stakes winners in the field, along with Chismosa, Dance to the Music, Eda, Rose Maddox, and Vegas Magic. Awake At Midnyte, Pammy’s Ready, and Real Fire are the other three runners.

Elm Drive, who races for the Little Red Feather Racing partnership, was entered to race on turf in the Monrovia, but the race was shifted to dirt because of wet weather.

Elm Drive followed her Monrovia victory with a 1 1/4-length win in the Mizdirection Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course on May 20 at Santa Anita. Elm Drive stalked the pace before taking the lead in the stretch.

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“We’re looking to get that winning streak rolling and hopefully make it three in a row,” D’Amato said.

D’Amato said the gap between the Mizdirection and Great Lady M. fits Elm Drive, who has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $408,140.

“I think we learned from her campaign last year that she likes her races spaced,” D’Amato said.

Elm Drive will have an early target on Tuesday in the speedy 4-year-old filly Eda, who has won her last five starts since October 2021 for trainer Bob Baffert, a streak that includes four stakes. Eda won minor sprint stakes at Santa Anita and Del Mar and the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos in December 2021.

Eda started once in 2022, winning the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles in March. She won her lone start this year in an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs on April 30 at Santa Anita, leading throughout.

“I hope she runs that race back,” Baffert said. “She’s fast.”

Dance to the Music, who won the Grade 3 Desert Stormer Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita in March against three rivals in her only start on dirt this year, is quick enough to be part of the pace, but may be more effective as a stalker from an outside post.

“I think she’s drawn the right post to do just that,” trainer Mark Glatt said. “Drawing outside is a big help as far as her chances. The top two fillies are in good form and very tough. Hopefully, she’ll get a tracking trip.”

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