Explora rolls in the Santa Ynez, Benoit Photo
Santa Anita Park Press
ARCADIA, CA —After biding her time in last down the backstretch, Explora was roused by jockey Juan Hernandez on the turn and she responded in a big way. Explora blew past all rivals in the stretch and cruised to a comfortable a 5 ¼-length victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Explora (1-9) was content to sit several lengths behind dueling leaders La Wally (8-1) and Himika (13-1) as that pair sped through opening fractions of 22.30 and 44.21. Baffert, who also trains Himika, acknowledged from the winner’s circle he had a slight bit of concern down the backstretch.
“It looked like maybe she was not running,” Baffert said.
That would prove not to be the case. In the Santa Ynez, Explora was cutting back in distance to a one-turn sprint after running second as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies going 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on Oct. 31. She willingly received Hernandez’s cue to go on the turn, motored through six furlongs in 1:09.27 and finished in 1:22.05.
“She was traveling well and was waiting for the quarter pole to start making her move. She is a really smart filly,” Hernandez said. “Bob told me that she was doing and feeling really good. He was right because she went really easy today.”
La Wally, ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Mark Glatt, was second by 1 ¼ lengths over Revera (16-1). Himika checked in fourth.
“I was hoping to get an easy lead with Himika, she wants to run on the lead, but they were pressing her hard the whole way,” Baffert said. “All of a sudden when (Hernandez) had (Explora) geared up, you can see that she was taking off. It’s nice after the Breeders’ Cup. She came back and she is back in form.”
A daughter of Blame, Explora is owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman. She was purchased for $350,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training. In the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Explora finished three-quarters of a length back of Santa Anita-based winner Super Corredora. Previously, she won the Grade II Oak Leaf at Santa Anita when making her two-turn debut on Oct. 4. Explora improved to 5: 3-2-0 with more than $625,000 in earnings.
Following the scratch of Bottle of Rouge, also trained by Baffert, there was no show wagering. Explora paid $2.10 and $2.10 and La Wally paid $2.60 to place.
