Grade III-Placed Latte Luv Part Of Contentious Group Of 2-Year-Old Fillies Entered In Next Monday’s Blue Norther Stakes Going One Mile On Turf At Santa Anita

GRADE III-PLACED LATTE LUV PART OF CONTENTIOUS GROUP OF 2-YEAR-OLD FILLIES ENTERED IN NEXT MONDAY’S BLUE NORTHER STAKES GOING ONE MILE ON TURF AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Dec. 22, 2025)—Next Monday’s $100,000 Blue Norther Stakes at one mile on turf at Santa Anita attracted a wide-open group of 2-year-old fillies in search of a breakthrough victory.

Latte Luv is the most accomplished in the field at this point via her second-place finish in the GIII Jimmy Durante at Del Mar, also contested at one mile on turf. Trained by Doug O’Neill for owner S3L LLC, Latte Luv is a Constitution filly who brought $125,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale. Prior to the Jimmy Durante, Latte Luv went gate-to-wire to earn her diploma against maidens in a one-mile turf event at Santa Anita on Oct. 3. While Mirco Demuro was aboard for both of those efforts, jockey Hector Berrios will be at the controls in the Blue Norther.

Instead of riding Latte Luv, Demuro will keep his regular mount on Total Val for Richard Mandella. The Hall of Fame trainer has been Demuro’s biggest supporter since the jockey’s arrival from overseas. Total Val lost her first four starts, which all came on dirt. But when switched to turf going one mile Nov. 29 at Del Mar, Total Val rallied from 12th and last to graduate by a neck. Owned by Spendthrift Farm, the daughter of Into Mischief was a $450,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale.

La Ville Lumiere finished third in the Jimmy Durante, a half-length back of Latte Luv. Trained by Michael McCarthy, the daughter of City of Light previously tried dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and finished seventh at 78-1. La Ville Lumiere was a $475,000 auction buy earlier this year. She is campaigned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Sabby Racing LLC and Kent T. Reimer. Flavien Prat will ride La Ville Lumiere for the first time.

Peanutbutterbombe steps up in class and stretches out in distance after a gate-to-wire debut win going about 6 ½ furlongs on turf Oct. 24 at Santa Anita. The daughter of Collected, a $40,000 auction buy, is owned by Little Red Feather Racing and trained by Phil D’Amato. She’ll again be ridden by Umberto Rispoli.

Hypergamy, trained by Doug O’Neill, was sixth in the Jimmy Durante. Prior to that effort, the daughter of American Pharoah posted a field-high 78 Beyer Speed Figure when graduating going a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 9. She is a homebred for Glenn Sorgenstein WC Racing Inc. Regular rider Antonio Fresu has the call on Hypergamy.

Wild Like the West, trained by Richard Baltas, finished fifth in the Jimmy Durante in her first start versus winners. The daughter of Into Mischief was purchased for $150,000 by owner Sayjay Racing LLC at the 2024 Keeneland September yearling sale.

THE BLUE NORTHER WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 9 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT

1.    Total Val—Mirco Demuro—120 2.    Hypergamy—Antonio Fresu—120 3.    Peanutbutterbombe—Umberto Rispoli—118 4.    La Ville Lumiere—Flavien Prat—118 5.    Wild Like the West—Juan Hernandez--120 6.    Latte Luv—Hector Berrios.—120

First post Monday is 12 p.m. PT. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.