Santa Anita: Queen Maxima returns, leads 9 in Las Cienegas

After a highly successful 2025 campaign, multiple graded-stakes winner Queen Maxima will kick off her 5-year-old season as the expected favorite in the Grade 3, $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes for older fillies and mares Sunday at Santa Anita. The Las Cienegas is contested at about 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course.

Last year, Queen Maxima was 5-for-7 and banked $457,360 for trainer Jeff Mullins and co-owners Dutch Girl Holdings and Irving Ventures. Her victories included the Unbridled Sidney at Churchill Downs and Monrovia at Santa Anita, both Grade 3; the Wishing Well at Santa Anita and the Senator Ken Maddy at Del Mar to close out the season Oct. 31.

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On the hillside turf course, Queen Maxima sports a record of 5: 4-0-1. The Florida-bred daughter of Bucchero will have regular rider Juan Hernandez aboard.

The fresh face in the lineup is Rosie Jeeks. A 5-year-old mare by World of Trouble, Rosie Jeeks has been sidelined since last June when winning the Goodwood Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs at Monmouth Park. That effort came for trainer Chad Brown and co-owners Team Hanley and Thirty Year Farm.

The following month, Rosie Jeeks was entered in a horses of racing age sale in Kentucky and sold for $300,000 to Narvick International. She resurfaces in California for trainer Neil Drysdale and owner Marcia Naify. Jockey Armando Ayuso rides Rosie Jeeks for her local unveiling.

The Hall of Famer Drysdale also sends out Egyptian Mau for owner Team Valor International. Imported from her native South Africa, Egyptian Mau most recently bobbled at the start and still prevailed in a second-level allowance sprinting down the hill in October. It was the 6-year-old mare’s third start in the U.S. Egyptian Mau will again have Mike Smith aboard.

Princess Moche was imported from Peru last summer and looks to be on the ascent for trainer Doug O’Neill. She’ll cut back in distance after a second-level allowance win going a mile on turf with a stalking trip at Del Maron Nov. 8. Previously, Princess Moche cleared her first-level allowance condition when sprinting down the hillside course for the first time. Mirco Demuro has been aboard for both wins and again has the call.

Spicy Bug drops in class and cuts back in distance for trainer Michael McCarthy and owner Mike G. Rutherford. Most recently, Spicybug was thrown into the deep waters of the GI Matriach at one mile on turf and weakened to last in a nine-horse field. Previously in October, the 6-year-old mare by Speightstown won on the hillside turf course in a ratings handicap. Regular rider Ricky Gonzalez will be in the irons.