Visually gives 17-1 upset in Sunday’s GIII, $100,000 Senorita. (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Santa Anita Press Box
ARCADIA, Calif. —Visually surged to the front inside the final furlong and comfortably held off all comers to earn her first stakes win in Sunday’s GIII, $100,000 Senorita Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the hillside turf course. The victory at 17-1 also provided trainer Librado Barocio with his first win in a graded stakes.
Visually, who was without blinkers for the first time in six starts, was rated in mid-pack by jockey Edwin Maldonado as the field descended the hill and Girl of My Dreams (11-1) showed the way under Kyle Frey. Visually started to carve into the lead gradually as the field neared the dirt crossing. When they straightened for the wire, Visually was travelling best of all on the outside and she kicked clear to score by one length.
Rascality (7-2), who with Mike Smith aboard was pressing the early leader, finished second by a half-length over 5-2 favorite Laulne. Girl of My Dreams was another head back in fourth.
Visually is owned by California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing, Fick Brothers Racing, Dario Bernardi and George P. Monty. She completed about 6 ½ furlongs on firm turf in 1:12.91. She paid $36.00, $14.60 and $7.40.
“My filly, we decided to sit behind the speed which she did fine,” Maldonado said. “As soon as she relaxed, I knew I had a lot of horse turning for home. It was just a matter of getting her to the crossing right. She did the rest.”
Rascality, trained by Richard Mandella, returned $5.60 and $3.80. Laulne, ridden by Antonio Fresu for trainer Phil D’Amato, paid $3.00 to show.
Barocio, 59, had never had more than 45 starters in a single season until 2022, when he won 12 races from 82 starters. He has since expanded his stable. Last year, Barocio won 24 races from 178 starters. The Senorita was his 11th win from 63 starters so far this year.
“I want to thank California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing, the Fick brothers, they gave me this opportunity and it was heaven sent,” Barocio said. “Larry Zap picked out the perfect horse and those guys are the perfect owners. They trust me and they wanted to go in this race, and we went.
“This filly she just started training really well after her last race and I told the guys, ‘Hey, don’t be surprised if she wins today.’ And I’m so thankful to God that she did.”
By Enticed, Visually was purchased for $20,000 at last year’s OBS Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training. She broke her maiden going a mile on turf here Dec. 26. In a pair of subsequent stakes starts, she was fourth down the hill in the Sweet Life Stakes Feb. 11 and fifth in the one-mile China Doll Feb. 11.
“I think one of the things that really helped her was I took off her blinkers,” Barocio said. “I think she just relaxed. Before with the blinkers she couldn’t see anything, or she couldn’t see things she wanted to see. Here, Edwin said she was looking but she knew where she was, and she just took off. I am so thankful. What a great ride. “
Live racing resumes Friday with first post at 1 p.m.
$100,000 Senorita Stakes Quotes
Edwin Maldonado, Jockey, Visually, Winner: “As soon as she relaxed and I got here where I wanted, which was to sit third behind the speed. I was very confident going into the crossing. I knew I had a lot of horse and I like this filly; I broke her maiden. I know I had a lot of confidence in her today because I know Libarado does a great job. I just want to thank Libarado and the owners and congratulate Libarado in his first graded stakes win.
“I knew Girl of My Dreams was going to go to the front. I rode her last time and she was a little keen with me, and that’s how she is. But she ran a good race when I rode her. I didn’t fight her too much, but I knew she was going to be in the front. My filly, we decided to sit behind the speed which she did fine. As soon as she relaxed, I knew I had a lot of horse turning for home it was just a matter of getting her to the crossing right. She did the rest. As I was passing horses, they took the blinkers off of her, so naturally she was just looking around and I wanted her to just keep going…I tried to keep her attention with the reins. She had a lot of horse left.”
Libarado Barocio, Trainer, Visually, Winner: “I want to thank California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing, the Fick brothers, they gave me this opportunity and it was heaven sent. Larry Zap picked out the perfect horse and those guys are the perfect owners. They trust me and they wanted to go in this race, and we went. This filly she just started training really well after her last race and I told the guys, ‘Hey, don’t be surprised if she wins today.’ And I’m so thankful to God that she did.
“I think one of the things that really helped her was I took off her blinkers. I think she just relaxed. Before with the blinkers she couldn’t see anything, or she couldn’t see things she wanted to see. Here Edwin said she was looking but she knew where she was, and she just took off. I am so thankful. What a great ride. I want to thank my barn. The groom and everyone involved with this horse. They do a great job. I just over see it but these guys they work hard. The riders Miguel Martinez, Rafael Castaneda, and Luis Aguilar they just are heaven sent to me and I just want to thank those guys for making me look good.”
