Press Releases

ARCADIA, Calif. (April 2, 2011) – The three entrants saddled by Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert thoroughly impacted Santa Anita’s 59th running of the Grade III, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes for fillies and mares on Saturday as 5-2 second choice Gilded Gem defeated 9-2 stablemate Subsidized by 1 ¼ lengths.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Gilded Gem, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Smarty Jones and a half sister to 2010 Belmont Stakes winner Drosselmeyer, made a sweeping move around the far turn when rallying from last to score decisively while racing the 6 ½-furlong distance in 1:15.22. The field size was reduced to five when Candy’s Pleasure was scratched by veterinarians after acting up in the starting gate.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 30, 2011) – With the potent pair of Gilded Gem and Mother Ruth, Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert would appear to have a toehold on Santa Anita’s 59th running of the Grade III, $100,000 Las Flores Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs on Saturday.

Three Baffert entrants, including Subsidized, comprise half the field of six in the Las Flores, which is carded as race four on a 10-race program that gets underway at 12:30 p.m.

It is not easy to separate Gilded Gem and Mother Ruth. The 5-year-old mares have faced one another twice.

ARCADIA, Calif. (March 27, 2011) – Church Camp, a 4-year-old filly ridden by Corey Nakatani, achieved her first stakes victory on Sunday when scoring by 1 ¼ lengths over Burg Berg in Santa Anita’s 31st running of the $82,020 Santa Lucia Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

After favored Briecat had overtaken pacesetter Jax El rounding the far turn, Church Camp gained the lead on the outside. She comfortably withstood the late rally by Burg Berg while Jax El resurged for the show, a half-length in front of Briecat.