Magnificat likely to start in Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 27

DEL MAR, Calif. - Magnificat went from a win in a minor sprint stakes in early June to a victory in a restricted mile stakes at Del Mar on Saturday.

In coming months, Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has much greater targets selected in graded stakes at longer distances.

Magnificat won her first start at a mile in Saturday’s $101,500 Tranquility Lake Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar. While Magnificat was the 7-5 favorite, the manner of the win was exciting. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Magnificat stumbled badly at the start and recovered to race toward the back of a field of eight. She closed steadily on the turn and in early stretch to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

“I was really proud of her, the way she ran first time around two turns,” Mandella said on Sunday. “She’s really good out of the race.”

With the win on Saturday, Magnificat will start in her first graded stakes around two turns, in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 27. The winner of the $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland on Oct. 31.

Magnificat, who races for owner and breeder Spendthrift Farm, has won 5 of 9 starts and earned $299,200.

Earlier this year, she won the $98,000 Desert Stormer Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs at Santa Anita in June, and was second to the sprint star Sweet Azteca in the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on July 4.

The Zenyatta Stakes is one of seven stakes on the opening weekend of the Santa Anita fall meeting that begins on Sept. 26. Six of the races are designed as preps for the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland on Oct. 30-31. Another seven stakes will be run on Oct. 3-4 that are prep races for the Breeders’ Cup.

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