First Look: Rainouts give Santa Anita 5-stakes week

Last weekend's rainouts at Santa Anita turned into this week's gain. The rescheduled Santa Ynez and Las Flores join three originally carded stakes, giving the Arcadia oval five stakes this week. Tampa Bay Downs adds early Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks preps to Saturday's card, making this first full week of 2026 busier than expected.

The Grade 2 San Vicente gives 3-year-olds their first graded sprint of the year, but it's the Santa Ynez that might steal the show. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Explora headlines the field, looking to prove that her narrow defeat to Super Corredora was no fluke. Sunday's Las Cienegas (G3) features Queen Maxima, who has four wins in five starts at Santa Anita and figures to be the one to beat.

Whether you're scouting Kentucky Derby and Oaks prospects in Tampa or turf specialists in Arcadia, this week's seven-stakes lineup offers plenty of early-season action.

Thursday

Robert J. Frankel (G3), Santa Anita, 1 1/8 miles, turf, fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

Public Assembly lost by a neck to Mrs. Astor in the Red Carpet (G3) on Nov. 23 at Del Mar after stalking inside, taking the lead and getting nailed at the wire, posting a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form. The 5-year-old mare by More Than Ready captured the Royal Heroine (G3) in April at Santa Anita for trainer Philip D'Amato and has a 3: 2-0-0 record at the Arcadia oval.

Saturday

San Vicente (G2), Santa Anita, 7 furlongs, 3-year-olds

Buetane chased gamely as the favorite in the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga, finishing second to Ted Noffey after racing four to five wide. The Bob Baffert-trained colt had romped by 3 1/2 lengths in his Del Mar debut a month earlier before tackling Grade 1 company immediately.

Santa Ynez, Santa Anita, 7 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds

Explora has yet to miss the board in four career starts, posting a 4: 2-2-0 record that includes a victory in the Oak Leaf (G2) at Santa Anita. The Blame filly also placed second in both the Del Mar Debutante (G2) and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, the latter a three-quarters-of-a-length defeat to Super Corredora.

Pasco, Tampa Bay Downs, 7 furlongs, 3-year-olds

A five-wide rally carried Vost to his maiden victory at Ellis Park, where the colt overcame a slow break to clear 10 rivals for trainer William Walden. The son of Instagrand showed promise in the Iroquois (G3) at Churchill Downs, tracking wide and closing for third. His Street Sense (G3) last time out ended abruptly when he was pulled up after weakening.

Gasparilla, Tampa Bay Downs, 7 furlongs, fillies, 3-year-olds

A breakthrough at the stakes level remains elusive for Love Like Lucy, who has competed through the Florida Sire Stakes series for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The daughter of Win Win Win broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park in August, then finished third in the Desert Vixen and second in the Susan's Girl before tiring to fourth when stretched to 1 1/16 miles in the My Dear Girl.

Sunday

Las Cienegas (G3), Santa Anita, 6 1/2 furlongs, turf, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Queen Maxima dominated the Monrovia (G3) at Santa Anita in April, drawing off by 4 1/2 lengths, then captured the Unbridled Sidney (G3) at Churchill Downs a month later. The Jeff Mullins-trained filly rallied from traffic trouble to win the Senator Ken Maddy at Del Mar in October. She owns four wins in five starts at Santa Anita.

Las Flores, Santa Anita, 6 furlongs, fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

Thermal found her best stride on dirt Oct. 17 at Santa Anita, controlling the pace from inside and drawing away to a 3 3/4-length allowance victory. That performance snapped a string of four consecutive turf starts in which she managed only one third-place finish. The 4-year-old filly owns an 11: 2-0-4 record and makes her graded stakes debut.