Vibez Prevails As A Tepid Favorite Under Hernandez In Monday’s Swingtime Stakes For Fillies And Mares Going One Mile On Turf At Santa Anita

VIBEZ PREVAILS AS A TEPID FAVORITE UNDER HERNANDEZ IN MONDAY’S SWINGTIME STAKES FOR FILLIES AND MARES GOING ONE MILE ON TURF AT SANTA ANITA

ARCADIA, CA (Oct. 13, 2025)— Vibez, the tepid favorite, and second-choice Word Play were separated by just $298 dollars in the win pool for the $80,000 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares going one mile on turf at Santa Anita. The final margin between those two rivals was similarly as close.

Vibez (5-2), ridden by Juan Hernandez, narrowly edged Word Play (5-2) by a neck to win the feature race on a special holiday Monday card at The Great Race Place. It was another half-length back to Nadette (10-1) in third. Nadette finished just a nose in front of Venganza in fourth, with another nose back to Raw Ability in fifth to complete what was a thrilling finish.

Vibez and Hernandez settled in fifth while racing on the outside of an 11-horse field down the backstretch. She then was tipped three wide entering the stretch, took the lead at the sixteenth pole and then held off the late challenge from Word Play and Umberto Rispoli.

Vibez won in a time of 1:34.93 following fractions of 23.55, 47.59, 1:11.86 and 1:23.45. A 4-year-old filly by Collected, Vibez is trained by Peter Eurton. She is owned by breeders Ciaglia Racing LLC and Exline-Border Racing LLC along with partners Richard Hausman and Garett Zubok.

“I was telling Peter, she was there for me the whole time,” Hernandez said. “She broke quick and I was able to put myself in a good spot. She was running really well. I was just waiting for the quarter pole to make my move.”

The Swingtime is restricted stakes for fillies and mares who have not won a stakes race of $60,000 or more this year at one mile or over other than statebred. This was Vibez third attempt at a stakes victory. In her previous stakes try on June 28, Vibez shipped to Lone Star Park and was beaten a neck in the Wasted Tear Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Most recently, Vibez was a sharp 3 ¼-length winner in an allowance at Del Mar going a mile on turf Aug. 10.

With the latest victory, Vibez improved to 14: 4-3-1 with $228,030 in earnings.

“It was no surprise,” Eurton said of the win. “She’s been doing so well for so long now. She had just been getting bad post positions and always had an excuse. Her last race was pretty dominant. I was afraid we might be coming back a little too quick but it worked out fine.”

Vibez paid $7.20, $3.40 and $2.80. Word Play, trained by Jeff Mullins, returned $3.20 and $2.60. Nadette, with Armando Ayuso up for trainer Neil Drysdale, paid $5.80.

Live racing resumes Friday at Santa Anita with a nine-race card starting at 1 p.m. PT. For more information, including full race entries, please visit santaanita.com.