Pantsonfire can turn tables on stablemate in Possibly Perfect

ARCADIA, Calif. – In the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf April 28 at Santa Anita, Queen Blossom rallied to win her first stakes in two years and first in the United States. Her stablemate, Pantsonfire, closed well to finish third.

Queen Blossom and Pantsonfire will start in Sunday’s $80,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at 1 1/4 miles, a distance that may better suit Pantsonfire, according to their trainer, Richard Baltas.

“It’s probably more in favor of Pantsonfire,” he said. “I think Queen Blossom wants all of a mile and a half, but this is a good spot for her as well.”

Pantsonfire, who is owned by Next Wave Racing, Pat Maciariello, Jeremy Peskoff, and Mark Silverstein, drew the rail in the eight-runner Possibly Perfect and will be ridden for the first time by Kent Desormeaux. Pantsonfire won two allowance races with claiming options at 1 1/8 miles on turf here in February and early April.

Queen Blossom, who races for Abbondanza Racing and Medallion Racing, ended an 11-race losing streak with a 9-1 upset in the Santa Barbara Stakes. Queen Blossom won the Group 3 Park Express Stakes in Ireland in March 2016.

Queen Blossom was fitted with blinkers for the first time in the Santa Barbara and will be fitted with the equipment again Sunday.

“It worked,” Baltas said of the equipment change. “I was very happy with the race.”

The Possibly Perfect drew a competitive field.

Evo Campo, who won the 2017 Santa Barbara Stakes, was fourth against males in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf on April 22.

Plein Air won her American debut in the Astra Stakes at 1 1/2 miles in January, but was fifth as the 4-5 favorite in Santa Barbara, fading from contention in the final quarter-mile.

“She didn’t run her race,” trainer Bob Baffert said. “She’s better now. I think she just got tired.”

Jockey Mike Smith will replace Tyler Baze on Plein Air. Baze has not ridden since May 19 because of body soreness sustained in a spill that day. He has targeted a Thursday return to riding.

Causeforcommotion was second in the Santa Barbara after leading in the stretch. Geovanni Franco was aboard for that race and has the mount again Sunday. Franco’s tactics in the stretch will be vital to keeping Causeforcommotion interested if she reaches the front again, trainer Eric Kruljac said.

“The problem with her is she gets the lead and she shuts the engine down,” he said. “The thing is to get her in front right at the wire.”