The $200,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) on Saturday is a key Road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) prep offering 100-50-25-15-10 points to the top five finishers. A top race for 3-year-old fillies in California, the race has sent many runners on to Churchill Downs to wear the garland of lilies under the Twin Spires the day before the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Only one filly has won both the Santa Anita Oaks and Kentucky Oaks, Rags to Riches in 2007. The daughter of A.P. Indy, who died late last year at age 22, won the Santa Anita Oaks by 5½ lengths in March and captured the Kentucky Oaks by 4¼ lengths in May as the favorite.
Later that year, she became the first filly in 102 years to win the Belmont Stakes (G1), defeating males, including Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Curlin.
Hall of Famer Winning Colors captured the Santa Anita Oaks in 1988 before defeating the boys in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Other standout winners include the recently deceased Serena’s Song (1995); champion Songbird (2016); and Swiss Skydiver (2020), who also took the Blue Grass Stakes (G2) and Preakness.
This year’s edition drew a field of seven led by the heavy favorite Meaning (3-5), who will break from post 5 under jockey Juan Hernandez. The Michael McCarthy-trained daughter of Gun Runner broke her maiden impressively, then finished a game fourth in her first time going two turns in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Del Mar.
She then dominated the Las Vírgenes Stakes on Feb. 8 at Santa Anita, winning by 1½ lengths over subsequent Honeybee Stakes (G3) winner Explora while earning a big speed figure.
Has trained forwardly since her last out, including a pair of sharp 5-furlong breezes, and should get her preferred trip pressing or stalking a moderate pace while handling the added furlong with ease.
Who drew the rail is the more accomplished of the Bob Baffert-trained duo here. The tactical speed/pace-presser by Charlatan has shown explosive improvement stretching out; she romped by 7 ¼ lengths in her main-track maiden win at a mile in early February after failing in her debut on turf. She then stepped up to take the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) on March 8 by 1¾ lengths over Bank Shot in gate-to-wire fashion while earning 50 Kentucky Oaks points.
Her speed figures have climbed steadily, and the rail draw plus Hall of Fame Mike Smith’s patient handling should allow her to control or share the early lead.
Baffert’s other runner brings her impressive pedigree (Gun Runner-Twenty Carat, by Into Mischief) and Baffert’s expertise to this event. A proven stalker, she makes her third start here after a maiden win and a third last out in the Santa Ysabel.
She has posted some impressive morning drills at Santa Anita recently. Expect her to settle behind the early flight early before uncorking a strong late run. She is a logical threat if the pace collapses in front of her. Florent Geroux has the call.
Also from the barn of McCarthy is the third Gun Runner filly in here, and she shows she belongs for her stakes debut after her nice maiden win here a month ago. She has trained well, and her last-out win on her third try suggests she is peaking at the right time.
Her pedigree screams two-turn ability, and the outside post should allow a clean trip tracking the leaders. She rates as the best of the second-tier group and could offer value under jockey Kazushi Kimura.
The longshots round out the field. Ryan Hanson trains Bank Shot (20-1), who is a consistent but outclassed stalker who has placed in both the Las Vírgenes (third) and Santa Ysabel (second) but lacks the top-end talent to win at this level. She’ll likely be mid-pack early.
The Doug O’Neill-trained Hypergamy (20-1), an American Pharoah filly, steps up in class off lesser stakes efforts and figures as a mid-pack or closer. Red Cherry (30-1) for trainer John Sadler is the longest shot, and the Rock Your World filly faces winners for the first time, and while this seems like a steep climb, her figures in her last show suggest she might be good enough for a piece.
| # | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forced Entry | M E Smith | B Baffert | 4/1 |
| 2 | Bank Shot | A Escobedo | R Hanson | 20/1 |
| 3 | French Blue | F Geroux | B Baffert | 5/1 |
| 4 | Hypergamy | E Jaramillo | D F O'Neill | 20/1 |
| 5 | Meaning | J J Hernandez | M W McCarthy | 3/5 |
| 6 | Red Cherry | A Ayuso | J W Sadler | 30/1 |
| 7 | Brooklyn Blonde | K Kimura | M W McCarthy | 6/1 |
Last Updated on 04/01/2026
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
