Splendora stands out in D. Wayne Lukas Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The first major sprint for fillies and mares in winter at Santa Anita has a new name and a new standout.

Splendora, romping winner of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar, makes her 2026 debut Saturday as a potential slam dunk in the Grade 2, seven-furlong D. Wayne Lukas Stakes. The race was renamed in honor of the Hall of Fame trainer who passed away last June.

The $200,000 Lukas was previously the Santa Monica Stakes, and 5-year-old Splendora was previously an allowance filly. Splendora put it all together for trainer Bob Baffert in late 2025, and enters 2026 ranked among the country’s elite older females.

Seven are entered in the Lukas, race 6, including Formula Rossa and Simply Joking, who finished two-three in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 28. Formula Rossa is listed at 5-2 in the Lukas with Simply Joking 6-1. Most of the money will go to Splendora, who opens at 4-5 for her first start in three months.

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“We decided to keep her in training [at age 5], she’s healthy and she’s doing really well,” Baffert said. “I freshened her up, she’s been working really well.”

Splendora enters 2026 on a three-race win streak, having won five races and $860,800 from 10 starts for owner Michael Talla. Drawn in post 5 under Juan Hernandez, with the highest recent figures, proven class, versatile running style and flashy workouts, Splendora enters without a knock other than low odds.

Baffert deferred discussing Splendora’s upcoming campaign, which could include travel. “I’m just thinking about [the Lukas],” Baffert said.

Upcoming stakes for female sprinters include the Grade 1 Madison in April at Keeneland and Grade 1 Derby City Distaff in May at Churchill Downs. The Grade 1 B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile is a two-turn race March 7 at Santa Anita.

Lightly raced Formula Rossa is the main threat. The Mark Glatt-trained filly has accomplished plenty in four career starts. Following a debut win and allowance score, Formula Rossa finished second in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo last summer at Del Mar. Her most recent start was a runner-up finish in the La Brea. She dropped farther off the pace than expected to be positioned eighth of 10.

“We didn’t expect her to be that far back,” Glatt said. “She broke a half step slow, that caused her to kind of get out of position, and we ended up being wide. She’s been real sharp since the La Brea.”

Mike Smith rides Formula Rossa, who breaks from the far outside.

Simply Joking finished third in the La Brea, and trainer Michael McCarthy is looking forward to eventually stretching her back to two turns. He could have entered Simply Joking in the Grade 3 La Canada at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 24, but chose to give her more time between starts.

“Thought another week or two would help her out, and then we have a month to the Beholder,” McCarthy said.

Kazushi Kimura rides Simply Joking, who breaks from the rail and is expected to rally from off the pace. Simply Joking has won two of seven.

A live longshot is Doug O’Neill-trained No Bad Beats, who finished second after pressing a hot pace in the Grade 3 Las Flores. “She came out of it in good shape, and hopefully she can move forward a little bit off that,” O’Neill said.

Others in the field include Me and Molly McGee, a front-runner racing for the first time since August. Lemon Muffin, a former Lukas trainee now trained by Paddy Gallagher, is listed at 30-1. Irina’s Charm also is entered.

Missing from the Lukas field is Usha, the runaway La Brea winner. Baffert will give Usha more time between starts. “She ran really hard, so I’m just playing it by ear,” he said.

Favorites have won the last three editions of the Lukas/Santa Monica, and 11 of the last 20. Splendora should add to the total as the most probable winner on the Saturday card.

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