Senorita, Barrera light up Santa Anita's Derby Day card

ARCADIA, Calif. – A graded stakes for 3-year-old turf fillies gets a makeover Saturday at Santa Anita, where an ungraded stakes for 3-year-old sprinters gets a resuscitation.

The Grade 3 Senorita has a new look, shortened this year from one mile on turf to 6 1/2 furlongs on the hill. The shorter distance and lively pace scenario benefit The Wild Grazer, though she is no cinch against improving Teena Ella and stakes winner Fast and Shiny.

Seven entered the Senorita, race 7, which follows a sprint stakes that is barely hanging on. Only four entered the $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes, race 6. The Barrera was canceled in 2022 due to insufficient entries; it had four runners in 2021. The Barrera field this year includes highly rated maiden winner Navy Man, maiden winner Tahoe Sunrise, and stakes winner Hard to Figure.

Eleven races are scheduled Saturday at Santa Anita; both stakes will be run before the simulcast of the Kentucky Derby at 3:57 Pacific.

Senorita contender The Wild Grazer is an Irish import whose four U.S. starts include two turf sprint wins and a runner-up finish in a route stakes. But everything unraveled last out. The Wild Grazer added blinkers for a mile turf stakes, got keen, never relaxed, came under a ride at the quarter pole, and surrendered. She finished last of six.

:: Get ready for Santa Anita racing with DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports.

Trainer Jeff Mullins will remove blinkers. The Wild Grazer also has a new rider. Hector Berrios replaces Juan Hernandez, who rides Skinner on Saturday in the Kentucky Derby. Mullins and Berrios have teamed to go 12 for 30 since early January.

In a downhill sprint with pace to run at, shortening to her preferred trip, The Wild Grazer looks like the one to beat. The front-runners include Procrastination, Tom’s Regret, and Fast and Shiny.

Teena Ella, a War Front filly produced by Beholder, has improved each start for trainer Richard Mandella. Runner-up last out a minor turf sprint stakes, she could tuck into a cozy trip Saturday positioned just off the pace. Stakes winner Fast and Shiny might not get another lone-speed trip, but she is arguably the sharpest in the field and seeking her third straight, all for Bob Baffert.

Other starters in the Senorita include stakes winner Ag Bullet and 3-for-3 comebacker Chismosa.

A half-hour before the Senorita, 3-year-old colts sprint seven furlongs in the Barrera, which lost its Grade 3 status. It also lost its parimutuel appeal. Prior to being canceled last year due to lack of support, the Barrera averaged 5.2 starters the past five years. Baffert favorites have won five straight including four at odds-on.

This year’s Barrera favorite might be Navy Man, a Michael McCarthy trainee who shortened to a sprint last out and scored a 91 Beyer maiden victory. His rivals Saturday include 82 Beyer debut winner Tahoe Sunrise, and minor stakes winners Hard to Figure and One in Vermillion.

One in Vermillion finished fifth last out in the Santa Anita Derby, beaten only four lengths by winner Practical Move.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.