Splendora stars in Filly & Mare Sprint

After rallying wide into contention, Splendora blew into the lead while turning for home in the $890,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar, rolling to a 4 3/4-length decision. Flavien Prat picked up the mount aboard the four-year-old for Bob Baffert, who sent out three starters and recorded his 20th Breeders’ Cup race victory, tying D. Wayne Lukas for the second-most wins.

“Wayne (Lukas) never had a bad day,” Baffert said of the late Hall of Famer. “He looked at it that way. To me, it's just incredible what he did in our business, what he did in the Quarter Horse, he changed the Quarter Horse business and the Thoroughbred business. I still miss him. I loved having conversations with him. It's an honor to tie him.”

Splendora left the starting gate as the 2.90-1 second choice among seven rivals in a scratch-depleted field, which lost the two morning-line choices, Sweet Azteca and Tamara, as well as Japanese-based Fee Blanche. Owned by Talla Racing (Michael Talla), the dark bay filly earned her first graded stakes triumph, stretching her win streak to three, and completed seven furlongs in 1:21.79.

“I honestly was a bit worried that we might have a lack of speed because of all the scratches, but the pace was fair and I was able to travel good,” Prat said. “I really felt like I was traveling well all the way around, and as soon as I was able to go around everybody, she just gave me a good run.” 

Now 4-for-4 at Del Mar, Splendora cut back to a one-turn distance following a convincing win in the restricted Tranquility Lake S. at a mile on Sept. 1. She returned from a two-month freshening with a romping allowance win over six furlongs at Del Mar in late July.

“She has been working really well, and she loves this track,” Baffert said. “I told Prat, when she ran here this summer, going six furlongs, she ran an incredible race and just sat off the pace. When (Prat) swooped up to the outside (today) and she took off, it was over.”

Her stablemate, 11-10 favorite Hope Road, sped forward at the break to set opening splits in :22.12 and :44.64 under a pressured pace. Splendora rated just off the pacesetter and began to advance on the far turn, gaining momentum nearing the completion of the bend, and proved much the best in the stretch.

Vahva closed to be a clear second, 1 1/4 lengths better than Hope Road. Zeitlos, Richi, Haulin Ice, and Praying completed the order.

Runner-up in the Santa Margarita (G2) and Santa Maria (G2) at two turns earlier this season, and second in the seven-furlong La Brea (G1) last December, Splendora has now earned $860,800 from a 10-5-4-0 record.

A Maryland-bred daughter of Audible, Splendora is out of the stakes-winning Frost Giant mare Miss Freeze, and Talla Racing purchased her for $125,000 as a yearling at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale. She was bred by The Elkstone Group. 

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