Paradise Lake Prevails In Photo Finish To Win The Grade III Robert J. Frankel Stakes For Older Fillies And Mares Going 1 1/8 Miles On Turf Thursday At Santa Anita

PARADISE LAKE PREVAILS IN PHOTO FINISH TO WIN THE GRADE III ROBERT J. FRANKEL STAKES FOR OLDER FILLIES AND MARES GOING 1 1/8 MILES ON TURF THURSDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 8, 2026)—Paradise Lake became a newly minted graded stakes winner Thursday at Santa Anita when prevailing by a nose under Juan Hernandez in the Grade III, $100,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes for older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Trained by Peter Eurton for owner C R K Stable, Paradise Lake narrowly edged longshot pacesetter Starry Night (28-1) on the wire. Paradise Lake hounded Starry Night in second through tepid fractions of 25.46, 50.93 and 1:15.72. She then surged ahead of Starry Night near the eighth pole reached in 1:38.83. But Starry Night, ridden by Ricky Gonzalez, was not done yet. She re-engaged Paradise Lake approaching the wire before ultimately coming up on the wrong end of a photo finish.

“I felt the inside horse (Starry Night) was trying to come back and catch me, because of the slow pace. That horse kind of kept going,” Hernandez said. “My filly, she tries and she loves Santa Anita. I think she loves a mile and an eighth. She showed up today.”

Paradise Lake, a 5-year-old mare by Uncle Mo, made her stakes debut last time out in the GIII Red Carpet going 1 3/8 miles on Nov. 23 at Del Mar. She finished third to Mrs. Astor by 1 ¾ lengths. Splitting Mrs. Astor and Paradise Lake in second that day was Public Assembly, who also returned in the Frankel and went off the 3-5 favorite. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli for trainer Phil D’Amato, Public Assembly raced in last behind the slow pace and ran on to finish fifth.

The winning time for Paradise Lake was 1:50.72.

“She is kind of special,” Eurton said. “She is no bigger than a greyhound, but she has put on some weight. I’m very happy.”

The Robert J. Frankel Stakes is named in honor of legendary Hall of Fame trainer who died in 2009. Eurton, a former jockey, noted he was employed by Frankel “for a short period of time.

“I galloped horses for him and he actually liked me. He didn’t like too many people, so I felt pretty good about that,” Eurton said.

Paradise Lake improved to 11: 4-1-4 with more than $228,000 in earnings for Lee and Susan Searing’s C R K Stable.

“They are just amazing,” Eurton said of the Searing’s. “They are such amazing individuals to work for. They take the wins with the losses as well as anybody, if not better.”

Paradise Lake paid $9.00, $6.00 and $4.20. Starry Night, trained by Jonathan Thomas, returned $28.20 and $12.20. Watchtower, with Mirco Demuro up for trainer Richard Baltas, paid $5.60.

Live racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita with a 10-race card starting at 12 p.m.