Santa Anita: 6 stakes winners are entered in Buena Vista

Six stakes winners, including four who won at the graded level, are set to do battle in Saturday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes for older fillies and mares going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.

The four graded winners in the lineup are Rashmi, winner of the Megahertz (G3) going a mile on turf earlier this month at Santa Anita; Liguria, who was third in the Megahertz after a 14 1/2-month layoff; Uncorked, who will be making her seasonal debut; and Alpha Bella, who returns to turf after three runner-up finishes in graded stakes on dirt.

Rashmi, trained by Jonathan Thomas, stalked the pace and spurted clear to win the one-mile Megahertz comfortably by 2 1/2 lengths on Feb. 1. Prior to that effort, the 4-year-old Oscar Performance filly was stretched out to 1 1/4 miles for the American Oaks (G1) and checked in fourth on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

A homebred for Augustin Stable, Rashmi is 8: 4-1-1 with $150,736 in earnings. She will be reunited with Umberto Rispoli.

Liguria, trained by Michael McCarthy, was near the back of the pack in the Megahertz before rallying to be third. It was her first start since October 2023 when trained by Chad Brown. While Rispoli was aboard in the Megahertz, on Saturday she’ll have the services of Flavien Prat, last year’s Eclipse Award winner as the nation’s outstanding jockey.

A 5-year-old mare by War Front, Liguria is 9: 3-1-1 with $254,200 in earnings. She is owned by Alpha Delta Stables.

Uncorked was last seen in November finishing second in the  Goldikova (G3) going a mile on turf at Del Mar. Trained by Phil D’Amato, the 6-year-old Australia-bred by Pierro earned her biggest win last April when taking down the Royal Heroine (G3) going a mile at Santa Anita.

Uncorked is owned by The Elkstone Group and has a record of 21: 4-6-2 with $327,990 in earnings. She will have Antonio Fresu in the irons.

Alpha Bella joined trainer John Sadler’s barn at the end of last summer after making her first 16 starts in the east, mostly on the turf, while with trainer Todd Pletcher. She has raced exclusively in dirt graded stakes since moving to California, finishing second in all. Alpha Bella’s three local runner-up finishes came in the Zenyatta (G2) in September at Santa Anita, Bayakoa (G3) at Del Mar in November and La Cañada (G3) at Santa Anita on Jan. 19.

While with Pletcher, Alpha Bella won the La Prevoyante (G3) on turf at Gulfstream Park in January 2024. A 5-year-old mare by Justify, Alpha Bella is 19: 3-7-2 with $476,615 in earnings. She will be ridden by Hector Berrios.