Santa Anita: Santa Margarita winner Joyful Victory may get a vacation

ARCADIA, Calif. – Joyful Victory, who earned the first Grade 1 win of her career in the Santa Margarita Stakes on Saturday, emerged from the race in good condition, Corey York, the assistant to trainer Larry Jones, said Sunday morning at Santa Anita.

“All’s well. She ate her dinner last night, ate all of her breakfast this morning,” York said. “She was a little tired, but I guess she’s supposed to be.”

Joyful Victory was scheduled to leave in the wee hours of Monday morning for Fair Grounds, where she is based with Jones. After the race on Saturday, Jones said he was inclined to give Joyful Victory a brief vacation from racing, with designs on pointing to the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic this fall back here at Santa Anita.

“This race,” Jones said, referring to the Santa Margarita, “was what we were pointing for this spring. We want to be back here for the Breeders’ Cup, so we’ll probably go easy with her for the next couple of months.”