Faiza puts perfect record on line in Santa Anita Oaks

She is unbeaten in four starts, a sprint and three graded stakes around two turns, each time displaying the same style. Faiza is a stalker who swoops past rivals to lead in early stretch, a tactic that will make her the favorite in Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks.

To win the richest race of her career in the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks at 1 1/16 miles, Faiza must negotiate her way to the front against eight rivals, the largest field of her career. If she makes the lead, jockey Flavien Prat and trainer Bob Baffert hope Faiza will extend herself.

“She’s got a great mind and she does what she has to do,” Baffert said. “Prat said there is more there and she does enough to get the job done.”

The Santa Anita Oaks is the 11th race on an excellent 12-race program that begins at noon Pacific. The Santa Anita Oaks is part of the 20-cent Rainbow pick six, which will have a mandatory payout on Saturday.

Faiza will be featured on millions of those inexpensive tickets, and be a key selection for many bettors because of her reliable record.

Owned by Michael Petersen, Faiza faces several familiar rivals, as well as less experienced fillies who may be capable of a surprise. The Santa Anita Oaks is the graded stakes debut for the stakes winners Don’t Get Pickled and Princess Bettina, who will be longshots.

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And Tell Me Nolies, the winner of the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita last October, will have her second start of the year in the Santa Anita Oaks.

And Tell Me Nolies, trained by Peter Miller, was second by 2 1/4 lengths to Faiza in the Grade 3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on March 5.

“We feel good about our filly and where she’s at,” Miller said. “I think she’s moved forward, certainly from a fitness level. We’re expecting a good race.”

Miller was encouraged when And Tell Me Nolies worked seven furlongs in 1:25.40 at the San Luis Rey Downs training center on March 25.

With the recent maiden race winners Clearly Unhinged and Venganza capable of setting the pace, a stalker such as And Tell Me Nolies should be well positioned.

“If the pace is moderate, she’ll be in close striking range,” Miller said. “I think [the] trip will be everything. If we get the trip, I think we can” win.

Miller hopes to see enough in the Santa Anita Oaks to start And Tell Me Nolies in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs on May 5. “This is not our end game,” he said.

Baffert will not send Faiza to the Kentucky Oaks in any circumstance. Baffert is suspended from starting horses in the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby this year for a medication violation found in a post-race test taken from Medina Spirit after the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

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“All I’m worried about is the Santa Anita Oaks,” Baffert said recently.

Trainer Richard Mandella starts Venganza, who will start from the rail after winning a two-runner maiden race at six furlongs in her debut on March 11, and Window Shopping, who won a one-mile maiden race in her 2023 debut on March 17.

Venganza led throughout the March 11 race, which was scheduled for turf and moved to dirt because of wet conditions. The race had seven scratches.

“She trains like she’s pretty special,” Mandella said.

Window Shopping closed from fourth to win by 16 1/2 lengths as the 3-5 favorite.

“It’s a bit quick back,” Mandella said.

But Mandella insists the Santa Anita Oaks is worth a chance with Window Shopping, who will be ridden for the first time by Hector Berrios. Window Shopping is likely to race as a stalker, and should have good company in that position alongside And Tell Me Nolies and Faiza.

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