Marley's Freedom repeats in Great Lady M Stakes

CYPRESS, Calif. – A successful summertime stop in the Grade 2 Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos is becoming an annual occurrence for Marley’s Freedom.

Marley’s Freedom won the 2018 Great Lady M Stakes, the second stakes win in a campaign that included a fourth-place finish at 9-10 in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs last November.

Saturday, Marley’s Freedom won the $200,351 Great Lady M Stakes for her second stakes win of the year in a campaign designed for a peak performance in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Marley’s Freedom ($3.20) closed from fifth in a field of six to win the Great Lady M Stakes by 1 3/4 lengths over Anonymity, who was third in the 2018 BC Filly and Mare Sprint.

Van Dyke had Marley’s Freedom on the inside for more than a half-mile. He moved Marley’s Freedom off the rail entering the long stretch and quickly took the lead. Marley’s Freedom led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining and finished 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.33. Marley’s Freedom earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92.

“She broke well and put me in a good spot,” Van Dyke said. “Strategy-wise, it worked out perfect. She was fine-tuned to put in a big race.”

The Great Lady M Stakes was the first start for Anonymity since the BC Filly and Mare Sprint. She underwent surgery to have a bone chip removed from a knee last winter.

Anonymity, who was fourth early, was a clear second in deep stretch and finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 65-1 Exuberance, who closed from last. Danuska’s My Girl, who set early fractions of 21.63 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.47 for a half-mile, faded to finish fourth, and was followed by Show It N Moe It and Just a Smidge.

Marley’s Freedom, a 5-year-old mare by Blame, races for Cicero Farms and trainer Bob Baffert. The Great Lady M Stakes was Marley’s Freedom’s first win since the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes in February. She was later second as the odds-on favorite in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on March 30 and second in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at seven furlongs at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Marley’s Freedom has won 9 of 18 starts and earned $1,233,935. The Great Lady M Stakes was her sixth career stakes.

“We hoped she would run like that,” Baffert said. “When you’re the big favorite and you’re coming off the pace, you know she’s a target.

“When he asked her to go, he had a lot of horse.”

Baffert said Marley’s Freedom will be pointed for the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at seven furlongs for fillies and mares at Saratoga on Aug. 24, a race she won in 2018.

GENERAL GRAPHIC SHOP DRF