Liberation makes two-turn debut in Soviet Problem

Liberation’s 2025 season has been geared toward races such as Sunday’s $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies at a mile at Los Alamitos.

Gone, for the time being, are sprints, replaced by a first start around two turns.

“This is much better for her,” trainer John Sadler said Friday. “We’ve been in these other races because of the Cal-bred program. We think long will be good for her.”

By Omaha Beach, Liberation has won 2 of 5 starts, a maiden race at 4 1/2 furlongs in May and an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs in October, both at Santa Anita. She finished third or fourth in three sprint stakes at Del Mar in the summer and earlier this fall, including a third by 4 3/4 lengths in the $177,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies at seven furlongs on Oct. 31.

Liberation closed from fifth in a field of 11 in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies but is not reliant on a specific style. She was within a length of the lead throughout the win in the allowance race Oct. 3 at Santa Anita.

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“I think she’s versatile where she can run from,” Sadler said. “The mile will help her.”

Liberation, who races for the partnership of Hall Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, Edwin Barker, and Jeffrey Levinson, is part of a field of six in the Soviet Problem, the eighth race on a nine-race program.

Liberation is the only stakes-placed runner in the Soviet Problem and will race against two fillies who won maiden races at a mile on turf in their last starts – Cecilia Street and Eighties.

The field includes two maidens – Cammy’s Girl and Danzing Daisy; and Tiger Lady, who was fifth behind Liberation on Oct. 3.

Eighties, trained by Antonio Garcia, led throughout a maiden race at a mile on turf Oct. 18 at Santa Anita, her fourth start.

Eighties drew the outside post in the Soviet Problem and will be ridden for the first time by Armando Ayuso, who finished tied for fourth in the standings at the Del Mar autumn meeting that ended last Sunday.

Cecilia Street was third to Eighties on Oct. 18 and returned to win a similar race Nov. 14 at Del Mar. Cecilia Street was second by a length early in her win and pulled away by 2 1/4 lengths.

“It wasn’t the strongest maiden race, but she ran very professionally,” trainer Leonard Powell said. “She stalked and drew off and was much the best on the day.”

Powell said the change in surface is not a concern.

“I think she’ll be as effective on dirt as she was on turf,” he said. “I don’t see why not.”

Cecilia Street drew the inside post and is likely to have a stalking trip with Diego Herrera aboard.

“I’m not going to give the jockey too many instructions,” Powell said. “I don’t want her to be too far back. We’ll see how she breaks.”

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