Santa Anita: After near-miss last out, Richi goes in Santa Maria

After setting the pace only to be caught by her stablemate last month in the Beholder Mile (G1), Richi stretches to 1 1/16 miles Saturday as the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes (G2) for six older fillies and mares at Santa Anita.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Richi was overhauled late by Cavalieri to lose by the Beholder Mile three-quarters of a length. This year Richi won the Las Flores (G3) going six furlongs in January and was third in the Santa Monica (G1) going seven furlongs in February, both at Santa Anita.

Bred in Chile, where she was a multiple Group 1 winner, Richi is owned by Hill ’n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Stud Vendaval. The 5-year-old mare by Practical Joke has an overall record of 13: 7-4-1 with $262,424 in earnings. Jockey Antonio Fresu, who was aboard for the Beholder Mile, again has the call.

Baffert also entered Splendora, who will be tested around two turns for the first time. At the recently concluded winter-spring meet at Santa Anita, the 4-year-old filly by Audible finished second in the La Brea (G1) going seven furlongs and was fourth at the same distance in the Santa Monica (G2).

Splendora will be ridden by winter-spring meet leading jockey Juan Hernandez. She has a record of 5: 2-2-0 with $150,400 in earnings for owner By Talla Racing.

Ultimate Authority gets a touch of class relief for trainer Tim Yakteen after finishing last in the Beholder Mile. The 4-year-old filly by Practical Joke is seeking her first stakes win. Before the Beholder Mile, Ultimate Authority cleared her first-level allowance condition going a mile on Jan. 19 at Santa Anita.

Ultimate Authority is 7: 2-2-0 with $109,760 in earnings for owners Leslie and Pierre Jean Amestoy and Roger Beasley. She will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura for the first time.

Lisa’s Nonno makes her stakes debut for trainer Mark Glatt and owner Double L Racing. A 5-year-old mare by Jimmy Creed, Lisa’s Nonno returned from a nearly eight-month layoff and promptly scored by a head in a first-level allowance going a mile Feb. 28 at Santa Anita. She enters with a record of 8: 2-2-2 and $128,740. Lisa’s Nonno will have Abel Lezcano aboard for the first time.

The Santa Maria is the seventh of 10 races Saturday at Santa Anita. It has a scheduled post time of 7:08 p.m. EDT. The first race is at 4 p.m.