Liguria takes the Buena Vista with a rail rally (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — Making her second start following a 15 ½-month layoff, Liguria rallied from last under Flavien Prat and won Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes for older fillies and mares going a mile on turf at Santa Anita.
Sent off the 9-2 fourth choice in a six-horse field, Liguria settled at the back of the pack as 39-1 longshot Omaha Girl sped to the early lead. Omaha Girl, ridden by Tyler Baze, was eight lengths in front when reaching the half-mile pole in a quick 45.37 seconds. Liguria had settled at the back.
Omaha Girl continued to lead at the quarter pole, reached in 1:10.18, but soon afterward was collared by Tirupati (7-2) and jockey Jose Ortiz. Triupati led inside the final furlong, but rallying along the inside was Liguria. She surged past a game Tirupati in the late going to win by a head. Even-money favorite Rashmi was another neck back in third with Uncorked (3-1) completing the superfecta.
“I wanted to be a little closer but just couldn’t keep up,” Prat said. “I felt like the pace was pretty strong…I was able to stay on the rail and save ground. She made an amazing run at the end.”
Trained by Michael McCarthy, Liguria won in a time of 1:34.31.
Liguria had previously been trained by Chad Brown while based in the east, where she was a stakes winner before hitting the sidelines in October 2023. She resurfaced from the lengthy layoff Feb. 1 with McCarthy in the GIII Megahertz going a mile on turf at Santa Anita. In the Megahertz, Liguria mounted a mild rally under Umberto Rispoli to finish third, three lengths behind winner Rashmi.
“I thought her first race back was very good, maybe a touch further back than I would have liked,” McCarthy said of the Megahertz. “It turned out it was basically the same thing today. Flavien was able to find a seam at the rail and get the job done. She is a quality filly. Her resume spoke volumes when she came here. I’m just glad we were able to get her in form and hopefully keep her there for a while.”
A 5-year-old War Front mare, Liguria is owned by Alpha Delta Racing Stables LLC. She improved to 10: 4-1-1 with $374,200 in earnings. When trained by Brown, Liguria won the Wild Applause Stakes at Belmont Park in June 2023.
Liguria paid $11.40, $4.20 and $2.60. Tirupati, trained by Jonathan Thomas, returned $3.80 and $2.20. Rashmi, also trained by Thomas, paid $2.10.
