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 Queen Maxima after winning the Monrovia Stakes (G3) Part 1 - Santa Anita Derby (G1), Santa Anita Oaks (G2), and Evening Jewel Stakes |
Date: 4/05/2025
There were five stakes races run at Santa Anita on Saturday, highlighted by the Santa Anita Derby (G1). Conditions were excellent for the 34,312 fans in attendance at the historic Arcadia oval, with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80's.
The $100,000 Monrovia Stakes (G3) presented by Don Julio for older fillies and mares is carded at 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course. Wishing Well Stakes winner Queen Maxima was sent off as the 1-5 favorite in the field of 6. In to challenge her included 9-2 second choice Queen of the Mud, winner of the Swingtime Stakes, and 11-1 third choice Venganza off a 2 race win streak in allowance company.
 Queen Maxima leads in the stretch |
Jockey Juan Hernandez sent Queen Maxima to the lead down the chute and across the main track through fractions of 22.58 and 44.89 while pressed by 23-1 Omaha Girl and stalked by Queen of the Mud. Into the lane Queen Maxima opened a 4 length lead through 3/4 in 1:07.15 and cruised to 4 1/4 length win over Queen of the Mud in 1:12.93. It was a neck back to Venganza third.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 6 Queen Maxima Hernandez 2.40 2.10 2.10 4 Queen of the Mud Rispoli 3.00 2.10 5 Venganza Kimura 2.20 Winning Time: 1:12.93 $1 Exacta 6-4 2.60 $1 Trifecta 6-4-5 5.80 $1 Superfecta 6-4-5-3 19.40 |
Left: Queen Maxima in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Jeff Mullins, celebrating his 1800th win said, "I can't say that she has surprised me. She has kind of lived up to our expectations and I'm not sure that we have seen the most of her yet. We do want to experiment with two turns again eventually and maybe even dirt. That is a ways down the road but she is a pure athlete. As long as her feed tub is empty every morning and she is sleeping good, we have a good chance."
Right: Queen Maxima in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "All the credit goes to her and Jeff (Mullins). She loves to run, and Jeff does a really good job with her. In the post parade, she was feeling really, really, good. She wasn't getting hot at all. As soon as the gate opened, she was trying to take the lead. So, I just let her be free and she took it till the wire. I didn't do much today with her. She was doing everything on her own. She just keeps getting better. Jeff is a great trainer and he's one of the guys that supports me a lot. I'm riding his horses, and he always does a beautiful job, and he has a really good team at his barn. I'm really happy for him and I'm happy for everybody on his 1800th win."
Left: Second place finisher Queen of the Mud in the walking ring. The Graham Motion trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 4 seconds, and 1 third in 9 starts, earning $232,599 for owners Go Go Greys Stable, The Elkstone Group, Peter Deutch, and Michael Kisber.
Right: Third place finisher Venganza returns after the race. The Richard Mandella trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 0 seconds, and 1 third in 9 starts, earning $144,320 for owner-breeders Perry and Ramona Bass.
Kicking off the Saturday stakes quintet, the $125,000 Echo Eddie Stakes featured a field of 7 California bred or sired 3-year-olds sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. California Cup Derby 7th place finisher I'm a Bad Boy was sent off as the 5-2 favorite over 3-1 second choice Bro Bro, 3rd in an allowance last out, and 4-1 third choice Style Cat, 6th in the Baffle Stakes.
7-1 R Heisman was quickest away through an opening quarter of 21.85 before 9-2 fourth choice Drop Um gained a short lead through a half in 44.48. Turning for home, Style Cat, 4th early under Juan Hernandez, swept to the front 4 wide through 3/4 in 1:10.44. Kept to task by Hernandez, Style Cat drew off to win by 2 /4 lengths over Drop Um in 1:16.88. It was a long 9 1/2 lengths back to R Heisman third, and 1/2 a length more to favorite I'm a Bad Boy fourth.
Style Cat in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Peter Miller said, "(Owner) Kirk Robison's father was one of my first supporters 20 years ago and they are just great. Kirk bred the horse and he owns the whole family, he is a big supporter of California racing and racing in general around the country." Winning jockey Juan Hernandez added, "This horse always tries and runs good for me. I like this horse a lot. I was out of town the last time he ran, but I thank Peter Miller for the opportunity again. He really got him ready. I could really tell he was ready in the post parade. I let the outside speed go and he really picked it up turning for home. He switched leads and he took off again."
On to Part 1 - Santa Anita Derby (G1), Santa Anita Oaks (G2) and Evening Jewel Stakes
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