Queen Maxima gets back on track with Mizdirection score

ARCADIA, Calif. – Queen Maxima needed slightly more than a quarter-mile to reestablish her role as California’s leading female turf sprinter in Saturday’s $102,000 Mizdirection Stakes at Santa Anita.

When the field of nine fillies and mares crossed from the hillside turf course to the main turf course in the Mizdirection, Queen Maxima was fifth, racing about three lengths behind leader Princesa Moche. With a wide rally, Queen Maxima steadily moved closer to the front. She took the lead in the final furlong en route to her sixth stakes win.

The victory ended a two-race losing streak since early April. It was Queen Maxima’s second stakes win of 2026.

“After we crossed over the dirt, that was the Queen Maxima that we know,” jockey Juan Hernandez said. “She was there all the time for me.”

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Sent off favored, Queen Maxima ($4.40) ran about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:13.27 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 95. Queen Maxima races for Irving Ventures and Dutch Girl Holdings and trainer Jeff Mullins.

In the early furlongs of the Mizdirection, Hernandez had Queen Maxima in a stalking position on the hillside in pursuit of Princesa Moche, who ran the opening quarter-mile in 22.16 seconds. The closing style was reminiscent of Queen Maxima’s trip when she won the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes on the hillside course in January in her first start of the year.

In the Mizdirection, Queen Maxima finished three-quarters of a length in front of Spirited Boss (3-1), who closed from seventh to finish second.

Ridden by Mike Smith, Spirited Boss was fifth in the stretch, trailing stretch leader Amorita by two lengths. Smith moved Spirited Boss toward the inside in the final sixteenth. She finished two lengths clear of 6-1 Certitude.

“She’s a little better on the inside of horses,” Smith said.

Amorita faded to finish fourth, followed by Rosie Jeeks, Princesa Moche, Candy Bar, Antifona, and Marian Cross.

Spirited Boss won the Grade 3 Monrovia Stakes on the hillside turf course on April 4, with Amorita and Queen Maxima second and third. Queen Maxima was the 2-5 favorite and was beaten two lengths.

In the minutes prior to the Monrovia, Hernandez was told by a track veterinarian that Queen Maxima must be schooled over the dirt crossing even though the 5-year-old mare had previously raced four times over the course, winning three races. The additional warmup period left Queen Maxima in less-than-ideal condition for the race, Mullins said recently.

On May 1, Queen Maxima finished fourth by three lengths in the Grade 2 Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs, a race she won in 2025.

“It wasn’t like she’s been running bad,” Hernandez said. “She had a good fourth place. I was beaten a few lengths. She tries all the time.”

The Mizdirection was Queen Maxima’s ninth win in 16 starts. A 5-year-old mare by Bucchero, Queen Maxima has earned $722,060.

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