Adare Manor, Coffee in Bed will meet again in Santa Margarita
Adare Manor and Coffee in Bed, both coming off graded stakes victories, will square off for the second time in Sunday’s Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on dirt.
Adare Manor, trained by Bob Baffert, earned her second Grade 1 victory most recently when winning the Apple Blossom Handicap on April 13 at Oaklawn. As for Coffee in Bed, she earned her first stakes win of any kind when prevailing in the Santa Maria (G2) at 1 1/16 miles April 21 at Santa Anita for trainer Richard Mandella.
A 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare, Adare Manor is 16: 8-5-0 with $1,736,600 in earnings for owner Michael Lund Pedersen. Before the Apple Blossom, she finished 9 1/4 lengths ahead of Coffee in Bed when second in the Beholder Mile (G1) behind winner Sweet Azteca on March 9 at Santa Anita.
Last year, Adare Manor won the Clement L. Hirsch (G1) at Del Mar and both the Santa Maria (G2) and Zenyatta (G2) at Santa Anita. She will have regular rider Juan Hernandez in the irons.
Coffee in Bed won the Santa Maria by a neck over South American import Super Shine, who also returns in the Santa Margarita. In two prior starts this year, Adare Manor was sixth in the Beholder Mile and second to Desert Dawn in the La Cañada (G3) going 1 1/16 miles Jan. 20 at Santa Anita.
A 4-year-old Curlin filly, Coffee in Bed has a record of 9: 3-2-1 with $253,860 in earnings for owner Spendthrift Farm. She will be ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who was also aboard for her three prior starts this year.
It was a promising U.S. debut for Super Shine in the Santa Maria. In her first start in nearly a year, she dueled on the lead then battled gamely through the stretch to just miss in a photo finish.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Super Shine was a multiple group stakes winner in her native Argentina. The 5-year-old Super Saver mare, who is owned by R Unicorn Stable, has an overall record of 11: 4-5-1 with $144,531 in earnings. Jockey Frankie Dettori, who was aboard in the Santa Maria, retains the mount on Super Shine.