Odds-on favorite Faiza runs away with Santa Anita Oaks

Racing in mid-pack early, odds-on favorite Faiza (4-5) accelerated on the backstretch, took the lead at the quarter pole and ran on to a 6 1/2-length victory Saturday in the Grade 2, $401,500 Santa Anita Oaks.

Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.

Even though the race was designated as an automatic qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 5, the 100 points earned by Faiza were forfeited because she comes from the stable of Bob Baffert. The Hall of Fame trainer is finishing a two-year Churchill Downs suspension brought on by the late Medina Spirit’s failed drug test after the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

Baffert was nevertheless happy with the way the day turned out.

“She’s getting better and better and improving,” he said. “(Jockey Flavien) Prat has always told me she does just enough to get by. I told him she would do more today. I’ve never seen her so sharp.”

Sired by Girvin, Faiza is owned by jewelry baron Michael Lund Petersen, a native of Denmark who lives near Baltimore.

“Michael Lund has been a great supporter of mine,” Baffert said. “We had (former champion) Gamine, and he’s gotten spoiled now with Faiza. It’s good to have her in the mix.”

And Tell Me Nolies (6-1) finished second, giving her enough points to clinch a spot in the 14-horse starting gate in Louisville and run for the lilies next month.

Window Shopping took third, Clearly Unhinged fourth and Venganza fifth. Each of the three picked up points in the race worth 100-40-30-20-10 to the top five, but they did not gain enough ground to make a serious bid for the Kentucky Oaks.