Paradise Woods dominates rivals in Santa Margarita

ARCADIA, Calif. – Paradise Woods ended a seven-race losing streak over 19 months with an emphatic victory in Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes against six overmatched rivals at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Paradise Woods ($3.20) was always near the front, took the lead on the turn, and won by 10 1/2 lengths, finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.95. Paradise Woods, who was practically galloping in the final sixteenth, earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 100.

The win was the first for Paradise Woods since the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes here in September 2017. During the losing streak, Paradise Woods was third in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar in November, 2017, was third or worse in three starts in 2018, and was transferred from trainer Richard Mandella to John Shirreffs last December.

The Santa Margarita was Paradise Woods’s third start for Shirreffs, preceded by a fifth in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes in February and a third in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 30.

In the Santa Margarita, Paradise Woods’s chances were helped by the absence of the first two finishers in the Beholder Mile – Secret Spice and Marley’s Freedom, who are scheduled to start in Grade 1 races at Churchill Downs next weekend.

Paradise Woods was the odds-on favorite in the $200,702 Santa Margarita and was ridden by confidently by Smith, who moved her into contention from the outside post going into the first turn.

Paradise Woods was within a head of pacesetter Just a Smidge through early fractions of 23.37 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 47.35 for a half-mile, while racing well wide.

“I thought I would keep her wide,” Smith said. “Even though I was losing ground, I could get her to relax.”

Paradise Woods took the lead with more than a quarter-mile remaining and led by eight lengths a furlong from the finish.

La Force, the 5-2 second choice, closed from sixth to finish second in her first start since an eighth in the BC Distaff at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Exuberance, the 55-1 longest shot in the field, finished third, followed by Just a Smidge, Lemoona, Starr of Quality, and Birdie Gold. Withholding Info was scratched early Saturday.

Paradise Woods races for Marty and Pam Wygod and Steve Sarkowsky. A 5-year-old mare by Union Rags, Paradise Woods has won 4 of 14 starts and earned $945,890. She has won three stakes, including the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks in April 2017.