Favorite Little Opal goes gate-to-wire to stay perfect in 3 starts and win stakes debut in the Grade III John C. Harris Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course Saturday at Santa Anita

FAVORITE LITTLE OPAL GOES GATE-TO-WIRE TO STAY PERFECT IN 3 STARTS AND WIN STAKES DEBUT IN THE GRADE III JOHN C. HARRIS STAKES FOR 3-YEAR-OLD FILLIES AT ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS ON THE HILLSIDE TURF COURSE SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Sept. 26, 2026)—Making her stakes debut, Little Opal shot to the lead under Emisael Jaramillo and was never headed to improve to 3-for-3 in the Grade III, $100,000 John C. Harris Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course Saturday at Santa Anita.

Little Opal, sent off the 6-5 favorite, comfortably held off a late challenge from eastern invader Day to Day (7-1) to score by 1 ¼ lengths. It was another 1 ¼ lengths back to Mo’ Em Down (10-1) in third.

“We had no problems. She is a very classy filly,” Jaramillo said. “She made it very easy and we didn’t have any pressure. Being on the outside, that was very good for us in getting a clean break and going from there.”

Little Opal is trained by Doug O’Neill for owner-breeder Donald R. Disney. The daughter of Caravaggio won in a time of 1:12.76 after setting fractions of 22.0, 44.34 and 1:06.77.

“First, I have to thank Mr. Dizney and Garrett Smith, the farm manager down there (Double Diamond Farm in Ocala, Fla.),” O’Neill said. “When they sent her, they sent her with a lot of accolades and they were right on. This stakes race is something we thought about a few months ago. It was coming back a little quick from her last win, but Emisael knows her well and he felt like she had good energy coming into this race. We got a great cozy outside post, with not a lot of speed early on. Just a great ride and a great filly.

Both of Little Opal’s previous wins came sprinting five furlongs on turf against 3-year-old fillies during the Del Mar summer meet. She beat maidens on July 24 then came back to win a first-level allowance on Sept. 4.

Little Opal paid $4.40, $3.80 and $3.20. Day to Day, ridden by Paco Lopez for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., returned $6.00 and $4.20. Mo’ Em Down, ridden by Juan Hernandez for trainer Peter Miller, paid $5.00.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a nine-race card starting at 1 p.m. PT. The program includes two automatic qualifiers for the Breeders’ Cup, the Grade II Zenyatta Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares and GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship going six furlongs.

GRADE III, JOHN C. HARRIS STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

EMISAEL JARAMILLO, LITTLE OPAL, WINNER: “For me and the filly, six and a half furlongs is the best distance. We had no problems. She is a very classy filly. She made it very easy and we didn’t have any pressure. Being on the outside, that was very good for us in getting a clean break and going from there.”

TRAINER QUOTES

DOUG O’NEILL, LITTLE OPAL, WINNER: “First I have to thank Mr. Dizney and Garrett Smith, the farm manager down there (Double Diamond Farm in Ocala) . When they sent her, they sent her with a lot of accolades and they were right on. This stakes race is something we thought about a few months ago. It was coming back a little quick from her last win, but, Emisael knows her well and he felt like she had good energy coming into this race. We got a great cozy outside post, with not a lot of speed early on. Just a great ride and a great filly. “We do a lot of good gallops so, even though maybe, you don't see a lot of works, she gallops really well every morning. We knew she was fit and ready. She’s one that there's just no need to rock and roll every week. It'd be fun to watch, but just probably not good for the wheels.

“John (Harris) is so much missed, and he was so great for our sport. The whole sport of horse racing, but especially California racing. He was such an advocate, and I know he donated a lot of his own money to kind of help keep a lot of the Cal-bred stuff going. So he'll be missed, big time. It’s so great to win this race in his name, and he'll never be forgotten for sure.”

NOTES: The winning owner and breeder is Donald R. Dizney.