Streaking Queen Maxima Shoot For Consecutive Stakes Wins In Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Monrovia Stakes Presented By Don Julio For Older Fillies And Mares At About 6 ½ Furlongs On The Hillside Turf Course At Santa Anita

STREAKING QUEEN MAXIMA SHOOT FOR CONSECUTIVE STAKES WINS IN SATURDAY’S GRADE III, $100,000 MONROVIA STAKES PRESENTED BY DON JULIO FOR OLDER FILLIES AND MARES AT ABOUT 6 ½ FURLONGS ON THE HILLSIDE TURF COURSE AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (March 31, 2025)—Queen Maxima, a winner of three straight including the Wishing Well Stakes last out at Santa Anita, will look to add a graded stakes victory to her resume when she takes on five rivals in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Monrovia Stakes presented by Don Julio for older fillies and mares sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Trained by Jeff Mullins, Queen Maxima rolled to a 3 ½-length victory in the restricted Wishing Well Feb. 22 when sprinting six furlongs on Santa Ania’s oval turf course. Prior to that effort, she proved an affinity for the unique hillside course when clearing her second-level allowance condition by the same margin Jan. 23.

A 4-year-old Bucchero filly, Queen Maxima is 7: 4-2-0 with $210,900 in earnings for owners Dutch Girl Holding LLC and Irving Ventures LLC. She will have regular rider Juan Hernandez aboard.

Stakes winner Queen of the Mud ships in from South Florida for trainer Graham Motion. Bred in Ireland, the 5-year-old mare by Kodiak hasn’t started since October when she came to Santa Anita and promptly won the restricted Swingtime Stakes going a mile on turf.

Queen of the Mud has a record of 8: 3-3-1 with $212,599 in earnings. She is owned by Go Go Greys Stable, The Elkstone Group, Peter Deutsch and Michael E. Krisber. Jockey Umberto Rispoli will be aboard for the first time.

Venganza returns to the stakes ranks for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. A 5-year-old Curlin mare, Venganza comes in following consecutive allowance wins on the hillside turf course. Most recently on March 7, she came from off the pace and kicked clear to score by 1 ¼ lengths in a second-level allowance for owners-breeders Perry R. Bass II and Ramona S. Bass.

Venganza, who is 8: 3-0-0 with $132,320 in earnings, will have a new jockey after being ridden by Rispoli in her previous four starts. Taking over in the irons for the first time is Kazushi Kimura.

THE GIII MONROVIA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 12 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

1. Omaha Girl—Antonio Fresu—122
2. Safa—Tiago Pereira—120
3. Ang N Ash—Kyle Frey—120
4. Queen of the Mud—Umberto Rispoli—122
5. Venganza—Kazushi Kimura—120
6. Queen Maxima—Juan Hernandez—122

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