Maysam romps on debut Jan. 27 at Santa Anita (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. — Maysam, who finished second-to-last as the 1-9 favorite in the Sunland Park Oaks Feb. 16, will return to the races in short order for trainer Bob Baffert in Sunday’s Grade III, $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Santa Ysabel going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita.
The Santa Ysabel is the final major prep for the GII Santa Anita Oaks on April 5 and also awards qualifying points to this year’s Kentucky Oaks. The top five finishers will earn Kentucky Oaks points paid out on a scale of 50-25-15-10-5.
Maysam was making just her second start in the one-mile Sunland Park Oaks and first around two turns. Things went sideways from the start in New Mexico. Maysam was fractious in the gate and broke a step slow under jockey Juan Hernandez. She was then rushed up to secure a stalking position into the first turn, which she would hold down backstretch. On the second turn, Maysam made a five-wide move to draw into contention but then flattened out in the stretch, finishing 18 ¼ lengths adrift of the winner.
By Game Winner, Maysam was purchased at auction last year for $500,000 by owner Michael Lund Petersen. In her debut sprinting 6 ½ furlongs at Santa Anita Jan. 24, Maysam attended the pace before kicking clear in the stretch to romp by six lengths. Hernandez will again ride Maysam in the Santa Ysabel.
Cipriani, also trained by Baffert, returned from a three-plus month layoff Feb. 2 and finished a distance second to stablemate Tenma in the GIII Las Virgenes going a mile at Santa Anita. It was just her second career start and first time going around two turns. In her debut in October at Santa Anita sprinting 6 ½ furlongs, Cipriani came from just off the pace and aired by 8 ¼.
Cipriani is owned by Speedway Stables, who purchased the Bernardini filly for $875,000 at auction last year. She will be ridden by Hall of Famer Mike Smith for the first time.
Supa Speed, who is multiple stakes-placed on turf for trainer John Sadler, will be making her first start on dirt. By Justify out of the American Pharoah mare Elfin Queen, Supa Speed exits a first-level allowance win going a mile on the grass Jan. 24 at Santa Anita. That effort followed three-straight stakes tries on turf, which includes a second in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf in September and a third in the Blue Norther in December at Santa Anita.
Supa Speed, owned by Flying Dutchman Breeding and Racing LLC, has a record of 5: 2-1-1 with $114,100 in earnings.
THE GIII FASIG-TIPTON SANTA YSABEL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 6 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30 p.m. PT
- Just As Fancy – Kyle Frey – 120
- Howin – Umberto Rispoli – 120
- Supa Speed – Flavien Prat – 122
- Cipriani – Mike Smith – 120
- Maysam – Juan Hernandez – 120
- Hey Jessie – Antonio Fresu – 124
First post Sunday is 12 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.
