After Poor Start, Om N Joy Earns An Improbable Last-To-First Victory Under Desormeaux In Saturday’s Melair Stakes For 3-Year-Old Fillies Bred Or Sired In California Going 1 1/16 Miles

AFTER POOR START, OM N JOY EARNS AN IMPROBABLE LAST-TO-FIRST VICTORY UNDER DESORMEAUX IN SATURDAY’S MELAIR STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES BRED OR SIRED IN CALIFORNIA GOING 1 1/16 MILES

ARCADIA, CA (May 24, 2025)— After breaking poorly, Om N Joy soon lost touch with the field in the $125,000 Melair Stakes for 3-year-old fillies bred or sired in California going 1 1/16 miles. It would not matter. With Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux at the controls, Om N Joy uncorked a furious rally inside the final three furlongs and got up just in time to score by a half-length Saturday at Santa Anita.

While Om N Joy (2-1) was toiling at the rear, Fibonaccis Ride (9-2)—with pressure from 15-1 longshot Going Deep—set a pace of 23.48, 48.12 and 1:12.44 for six furlongs. Inside the quarter pole, Going Deep had put away Fibonaccis Ride, was clear by 2 ½ lengths at the eighth pole and appeared poised to spring the upset. But she could not hold off an oncoming Om N Joy, who surged through on the inside to make it back-to-back stakes wins after previously taking the Evening Jewel at 6 ½ furlongs on April 5 at Santa Anita. Going Deep finished second by 2 ¼ lengths over third-place finisher Lady Mendelssohn (5-1).

“When she came out of the gate like that, I had words with the starter,” Desormeaux said jokingly. “It was her fault, she threw her head right at the start and I’m telling you it was nerve-wracking down the backstretch, I was too far back. She proved to be a lot better than I thought she was because she had no right to win today, and she did it anyway.”

Desormeaux also rode Om N Joy in the Evening Jewel.

By California-based stallion Om, Om N Joy is trained by Aggie Ordonez and campaigned by breeders Jerry Baker and Connie S. Baker along with partners Michael Golovko and Terrence J. Scanlan. She won in a time of 1:45.68.

“First of all, that is why you ride Kent Desormeaux,” Ordonez said. “After that, she has just been the biggest pleasure to train.”

Om N Joy improved to 10: 3-0-4 with $225,640 in earnings.

Om N Joy paid $6.00, $3.60 and $2.80. Going Deep, ridden by Edwin Maldonado for trainer Doug O’Neill, returned $14.00 and $8.20. Lady Mendelssohn, with Hector Berrios up for trainer Carla Gaines, paid $5.00.