Meaning rallies late in Las Virgenes Stakes
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ARCADIA, Calif. - There was a good explanation why the filly Meaning was last of four on the first turn of Sunday’s $98,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita.
“I couldn’t keep up,” jockey Flavien Prat said.
Prat remedied that situation in the last six furlongs of the one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.
With a three-wide rally, Meaning ran past two highly rated rivals to win the race by 1 1/2 lengths, her second victory in three starts.
Super Corredora, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2025, and Explora, second to Super Corredora in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Oct. 31, finished fourth and second after engaging in a speed duel.
Meaning engaged with Explora and Super Corredora on the turn and dueled with Explora through the stretch before drawing clear.
“I wanted to keep those two busy,” Prat said of his challenging tactics.
Meaning, fourth in the BC Juvenile Fillies in her last start, was timed in 1:38.39 and earned a career-best 79 Beyer Speed Figure.
Explora, ridden by Juan Hernandez, led by a head over Super Corredora through the first six furlongs.
“She gave me everything that she had,” Hernandez said. “She was fighting to the line.”
Explora, a two-time stakes winner trained by Bob Baffert, finished three lengths clear of 28-1 Bank Shot, the winner of a maiden race at a mile on Jan. 2. Super Corredora, who was ridden by Hector Berrios, faded to finish 6 3/4 lengths behind Meaning.
The Las Virgenes was Super Corredora’s first start since the BC Juvenile Fillies.
“The pace was too much,” Berrios said. “She hadn’t run in a while. She got a little tired.”
Meaning, by Gun Runner, has won 2 of 3 starts and earned $187,000 for Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. Trained by Michael McCarthy, Meaning won her debut in a maiden race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos in September in advance of the BC Juvenile Fillies.
Meaning was purchased for $440,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Prat, a former leading rider in California who is based in New York, rode Meaning for the first time on Sunday.
“I’m glad I came,” Prat said. “I’m grateful for the chance to ride.”
Yellow Card rallies in Clocker's Corner
Yellow Card closed from last of seven to win the first stakes of his career in the $101,000 Clocker’s Corner Stakes at six furlongs on turf.
Trained by McCarthy, Yellow Card was timed in 1:08.05 and benefited from a quick pace of 21.71 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.03 for a half-mile set by 13-1 Flyover. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo moved Yellow Card to the outside on the turn and closed steadily to reach the front in the final furlong.
“He made the right move to swing outside,” McCarthy said.
The race was run on the flat turf course. Yellow Card earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99, which equals his career best.
Yellow Card ($8.40) finished 1 1/2 lengths clear of 7-1 Sorrento Sky, who closed from sixth. Virat (22-1) led in the stretch after stalking the pace and held third.
Sumter, the 9-10 favorite, finished fourth, followed by Flyover, Speed Boat Beach and Irish Royalty. Sumter was beaten 2 3/4 lengths. He was on the inside on the backstretch and turn and closed some ground in the stretch.
The Clocker’s Corner Stakes was restricted to older horses who had not won a graded stakes since Jan. 1, 2025.
Yellow Card, a 5-year-old horse by the War Front stallion Lost Treasure, races for Jim Daniell and has won 4 of 12 starts. Yellow Card was second by a half-length in the Grade 2 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in September, and a troubled sixth in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside course on Dec. 29.
“He’s had a couple of tough beats,” McCarthy said.
Yellow Card has earned $671,745. He earned $379,000 for finishing second in the Grade 1 Franklin-Simpson Stakes, a $1.84 million race for 3-year-olds at six furlongs on turf at Kentucky Downs in September 2024.
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