Swingtime Stakes On Special Holiday Monday Card, California Distaff For Statebreds On Sunday Part Of 4-Day Race Week At Santa Anita

SWINGTIME STAKES ON SPECIAL HOLIDAY MONDAY CARD, CALIFORNIA DISTAFF FOR STATEBREDS ON SUNDAY PART OF 4-DAY RACE WEEK AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Oct. 7, 2025)—As part of a big four-day race week at Santa Anita that starts on Friday, the Swingtime Stakes will serve as the feature on a special holiday Monday program and the California Distaff Handicap adds to the action on Sunday.

The $80,000-added Swingtime Stakes is at one mile on turf for fillies and mares who this year have not won a sweepstakes of at least $60,000 at one mile or over other than statebred. The Swingtime attracted a highly competitive field of 12 with two more entrants relegated to the also-eligible list. Nadette, trained by Neil Drysdale for owner Stepaside Farm, is the lone graded stakes winner in the field having won last year’s GIII Wilshire at Santa Anita, also at one mile on turf. The 6-year-old mare most recently shipped to Kentucky Downs and split the field when finishing fifth in the 1 5/16-miles GIII Ladies Marathon on Sept. 6.

The Swingtime highlights a nine-race card on Monday starting with a first post of 1 p.m. PT. As part of the holiday festivities, Santa Anita is offering fans free parking, $2 beers and hot dogs, and $1 sodas. Admission gates open at 11 a.m.

The Swingtime Stakes will go as the seventh race at approximately 4 p.m. The field in post position order: Baltic Fire (Serafin Carmona); Violeta M (Mike Smith); Word Play (Umberto Rispoli); Nadette (Armando Ayuso); Raw Ability (Kyle Frey); Watchtower (Diego Herrera); Venganza (Mirco Demuro); Mahina (Tyler Baze); Miss Roberts (Hector Berrios); Sun Of Hill (Kazushi Kimura); Vibez (Juan Hernandez); Musical Rhapsody (Antonio Freesu). Also-eligible: Granny Budgie (Geovanni Franco); Delightful Laura (Welfin Orantes).

The $100,000 California Distaff Handicap, contested at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course, is for fillies and mares who were either bred or sired in California. Looming as a major player is Grand Slam Smile, a six-time stakes winner who won this race last year when trained by Steve Specht. Following Specht’s retirement last winter, owners-breeders Mr. & Mrs. Larry D. Williams transferred Grand Slam Smile to trainer Sean McCarthy. In three starts this year for McCarthy, the 4-year-old filly by Smiling Tiger has won two stakes including the Solana Beach for statebreds at one mile on turf Aug. 17 at Del Mar.

Another intriguing entrant is Issa Court, who wheels back nine days after being claimed out of win in a statebred allowance/optional claimer at one mile on turf at Santa Anita. Issa Court, a 7-year-old mare by Acclamation, won last Friday for trainer John Sadler and was promptly claimed back by trainer Bob Hess Jr. and owner Howard & Janet Siegel Racing.

The California Distaff goes as the opener Sunday on a 10-race card. First post is 1 p.m. The field in post position order: Grand Slam Smile (William Antongeorgi III); Issa Court, (Hector Berrios); Bit’s Tiger Magic (Juan Hernandez); Sneaker (Umberto Rispoli); Moment’s Pleasure (Kazushi Kimura).

All of this week’s racing action begins with what’s being called “Carryover Friday” at The Great Race Place. As part of a nine-race card Friday starting at 1 p.m., there is a $45,583 carryover in the $2 Pick Six; a $35,706 carryover in the $1 Super High 5; a $54,236 carryover in the $1 Sunset Pick Six; and a $48,661 carryover in the $1 Coast-to-Coast Pick 5.

For more information, including full race entries, please visit santaanita.com.