Pura Vida Princesa earns first stakes victory in Senator Ken Maddy

ARCADIA, Calif. - Pura Vida Princesa was not a factor in two stakes at a mile or more on turf in September and earlier this month after leading or stalking the pace.

The theme shifted in her favor in Saturday’s $102,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares at about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. Allowed to set the pace, Pura Vida Princess was impossible to catch, winning by a length.

Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, Pura Vida Princesa ($24.40) was timed in 1:12.90 and won the first stakes of her career in her 15th start.

The sprint distance “was beautiful for her,” Jaramillo said. “At one mile, she’s very strong and she pulls you. Today was perfect.”

Pura Vida Princesa, trained by Doug O’Neill for Superfecta King Stable, finished clear of 5-1 Rethink, who closed from fifth in a field of nine to gain second in the final sixteenth. Rethink finished 1 1/4 lengths in front of 8-5 favorite Amorita, who was well placed behind Pura Vida Princesa on the hillside and after the field crossed onto the main turf course, but posed no threat in the final furlong.

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Precise Timing finished fourth, followed by Pop Art, Visually, Antifona, Tahini and Saratoga Special.

Pura Vida Princesa won an allowance race on the hillside turf course in February. In four starts around two turns at Del Mar during the summer and here earlier this month, Pura Vida Princesa won once, in an allowance race at a mile on turf at Del Mar in August.

Pura Vida Princesa was last of 10 after setting the pace in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar on Sept. 7, and sixth of eight in the restricted Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf here on Oct. 12.

“We thought going two turns she’d have it her way, but it didn’t work out that way,” O’Neill said. “She’s got a lot of natural speed.”

By Complexity, Pura Vida Princess has earned $250,340.

Mr. A. P. wins Tokyo City

Mr. A. P., second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last October, won his first stakes in Saturday’s $93,144 Tokyo City Cup at a mile.

Ridden by Jaramillo for trainer Vladimir Cerin, Mr. A. P. had an eventful trip in the last half of the one-mile race. Mr. A. P. was fifth on the backstretch while stalking the pace. Jaramillo moved Mr. A. P. into a three-wide position on the turn before moving to the inside for the stretch run.

Mr. A. P. took the lead near the eighth pole and drew off to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Sent off favored in a field of six, Mr. A. P. ($3.80) was timed in 1:36.87.

“I was impressed by the way he worked his way through traffic,” Cerin said.

Lyell’s Song (8-1) was near the front throughout and finished second a length in front of 9-2 Arrowthegreat, the winner of the Longacres Mile at Emerald Downs in August 2025.

Indispensable, Malarchuk and Vodka Vodka completed the order of finish.

Mr. A. P., by American Pharoah, was claimed for $150,000 by owners David and Holly Wilson in July 2025, when he finished second in a maiden race at Del Mar.

Earlier this year, Mr. A. P. won an allowance race on turf at Del Mar and finished ninth in the Gun Runner stakes at Kentucky Downs for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf.

Cerin said in the winner’s circle that Mr. A. P. will be kept to dirt races in the future. Mr. A.P. finished a length behind Ted Noffey in the BC Juvenile and was sidelined with a minor injury in the first half of this year.

Mr. A. P. has won 3 of 8 starts and earned $558,256.

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