Santa Anita: Breeders' Cup winner Splendora leads Lukas

Splendora, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner, returns to action for trainer Bob Baffert against six rivals in the Grade 2, $200,000 D. Wayne Lukas Stakes for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs at Santa Anita on Saturday.

The D. Wayne Lukas Stakes had been known as the Santa Monica since its inaugural running in 1957. It was renamed this year in honor of the legendary trainer who died in June at age 89. The Lukas field also includes Lemon Muffin, who made 21 starts for Lukas before his death. She now is trained by Patrick Gallagher.

Click here for Santa Anita entries and results.

Splendora won the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint by a decisive 4 3/4 lengths on Nov. 1 at Del Mar under Flavien Prat. Last year, Splendora finished fourth in this race behind winner Kopion. A 5-year-old mare by Audible, Splendora is 10: 5-4-0 with $860,800 in earnings for owner By Talla Racing. She’ll be ridden by Juan Hernandez, who piloted Splendora to victory in the Tranquility Lake at Del Mar before the Breeders’ Cup.

Among Splendora’s chief rivals are Formula Rossa and Simply Joking, the two-three finishers in the La Brea (G1) for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 28.

Trained by Mark Glatt, Formula Rossa was the 2-1 favorite in the La Brea but proved to be no match for winner Usha, finishing 6 1/4 lengths behind that rival. She previously also finished second behind highly regarded Sweet Azteca when making her stakes debut in the Rancho Bernardo (G3) going 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar. Formula Rossa, by Vekoma, will be ridden by Mike Smith.

Simply Joking in the La Brea finished a neck back of Formula Rossa in third. The daughter of Practical Joke, a $65,000 auction buy as a yearling, is trained by Michael McCarthy and will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura, who also was aboard in the La Brea.

Making her first start in California is Me and Molly McGee, a 4-year-old daughter of Vekoma trained by Peter Eurton. She has been off since finishing last in the Test (G1) at Saratoga in August. A $170,000 auction buy as a yearling, Me and Molly McGee will have Hector Berrios aboard for her local unveiling.