Spirited Boss Comes East For D’angelo And Springs 18-1 Upset In The Grade III Monrovia Stakes Presented By Ketel One For Fillies And Mares Going About 6 ½ Furlongs On The Hillside Turf Course Saturday At Santa Anita

SPIRITED BOSS COMES EAST FOR D’ANGELO AND SPRINGS 18-1 UPSET IN THE GRADE III MONROVIA STAKES PRESENTED BY KETEL ONE FOR FILLIES AND MARES GOING ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS ON THE HILLSIDE TURF COURSE SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (April 4, 2026)—Spirited Boss made it a successful raiding party for trainer Jose D’Angelo Saturday when rallying from last to win the Grade III, $100,000 Monrovia Stakes presented by Ketel One for fillies and mares going about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita Park.

With Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard, Spirited Boss (18-1) ran past pacesetter Amorita (7-1) inside the final furlong to win by three-quarters of a length. Queen Maxima, the 4-5 favorite, finished another 1 ¼ lengths back in third.

About 30 minutes earlier, Smith also won the GI Santa Anita Derby on So Happy for trainer Mark Glatt.

“I went in thinking I was really live today on everything I was riding,” Smith said. “You have to get them across the wire first. That’s always tough.”

A 4-year-old filly by Street Boss, Spirited Boss is a homebred for Tag Stables. Her only previous stakes victory came last year in the Sanibel Island Stakes at Gulfstream Park going 7 ½ furlongs on turf.

“This horse has been magnificent,” said Leonardo Paladala, D’Angel’s assistant. “(Santa Anita-based trainer) Peter Eurton suggested to Jose to bring this horse to Santa Anita for this stakes race. He was right. Mike Smith did the rest.”

Spirited Boss won in a time of 1:12.0 following fractions of 21.94, 44.45 and 1:06.21. As for Queen Maxima, who won last year’s Monrovia, jockey Juan Hernandez noted she didn’t seem her usual self on Saturday.

"She was really hot in the post today. I felt it,” Hernandez said. “Normally, she's really calm and professional. I don't know why, but today she didn't want to stand and she broke slow. She traveled well, but normally when I ask her to step it up, she takes off, but not today.”

Spirited Boss paid $38.00, $19.80 and $4.20. Amorita, ridden by Mirco Demuro for trainer Richard Mandella, returned $10.00 and $3.00. Queen Maxima, with Juan Hernandez aboard paid $2.10. Live racing resumes on Sunday with a 10 - race card, first post is at 12 P.M. P.T.

GRADE III, MONROVIA STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

MIKE SMITH, SPIRITED BOSS, WINNER: “I went in thinking I was really live today on everything I was riding. You have to get them across the wire first, that’s always tough, but it was great. I knew Mark (Glatt’s) horse So Happy was going to run big today and I talked to Mr. D’Angelo this morning and he was telling me how good this filly was doing. He said, ‘You are absolutely going to love her. She is a sweetheart. She just ran dynamite and all his team is from Venezuela. I was happy to win for him.

“I’m still having fun. At my age, trust me, I’m not done yet. We are going to go for a while.”

“Every single race has been important in my life. Today was a special day, again to win the Santa Anita Derby for Mark Glatt. It was an amazing thing with his family here. With what they have been through, losing his wife Dena and for that horse to run the way he did today for Saints or Sinners Stable is just really incredible.”

JUAN HERNANDEZ, QUEEN MAXIMA, THIRD: "She was really hot in the post today; I felt it. Normally, she's really calm and professional. I don't know why, but today she didn't want to stand and she broke slow. She traveled well, but normally when I ask her to step it up, she takes off, but not today.

TRAINER QUOTES

LEONARDO PALADALA, ASSISTANT TO JOSE D’ANGELO, SPIRITED BOSS, WINNER: “This horse has been magnificent. Peter Eurton suggested to Jose to bring this horse to Santa Anita for this stakes race and he was right. Mike Smith did the rest.”

NOTES: The winning owner and breeder is Tag Stables.