Unbeaten Rabeeba, returning Super Corredora meet elders in Zenyatta

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge events continue at Santa Anita on Sunday, with the $200,000 Zenyatta (G2) for aspiring Distaff (G1) contenders and the $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) for the Sprint (G1) brigade.

Bob Baffert’s unbeaten sophomore Rabeeba faces older stakes veterans for the first time in the Zenyatta, which also marks the return of champion Super Corredora. 

In the Santa Anita Sprint Championship, Baffert’s defending champion Imagination aims to regain top form after a forgettable campaign back East.

Zenyatta (G2) – Race 8, 7:30 p.m. ET

Rabeeba, a $750,000 daughter of Curlin, is the prototypical late developer. Unraced until this summer, she’s quickly climbed the class ladder from the maiden and allowance ranks to graded stakes company. Rabeeba extended her record to 3-for-3 in the Torrey Pines (G3) versus fellow three-year-olds at Del Mar, and she takes the blinkers off here.

Fellow sophomore Super Corredora sports the opposite dynamic, as last year’s champion two-year-old filly who is trying to restart her career. After clinching an Eclipse Award by upsetting the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), the John Sadler pupil lost her way early this season and dropped off the Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail.

Leading the older cohort is Om N Joy, who comes off a fourth against males in the Pacific Classic (G1). The California-bred has been better than ever for Aggie Ordonez, closing strongly to surprise the Santa Margarita (G2) and to finish second in the Clement L. Hirsch (G1). Om N Joy might prefer a bit more ground than she’ll find in the 1 1/16-mile Zenyatta.

Majestic Oops, who floored Nitrogen in the Azeri (G2) at Oaklawn Park, has been running well in defeat in the interim. Switched to Phil D’Amato following a third in the Apple Blossom (G1), the six-year-old was third to the streaking Splendora in the Shawnee (G2) at Churchill Downs and not beaten far in fourth in the Clement L. Hirsch.

Spendthrift’s homebred Magnificat just passed her two-turn test in the restricted Tranquility Lake S., despite a significant stumble at the start. The blueblood daughter of Omaha Beach and Canadian champion Holy Helena likely has more upside for Richard Mandella. 

Howin, third in last year’s Zenyatta, was a remote fifth off the 11-month break in the Tranquility Lake. The ultra-consistent She’s No Quant defeated state-breds in the Fleet Treat S., but succumbed to Rabeeba in her two-turn bow in the Torrey Pines. 

Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) – Race 4, 5:30 p.m. ET

Last year, Imagination sprang an upset here when cutting back in trip off an eight-month layoff. The son of Into Mischief maintained that high level of form in his next two outings, placing second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and rallying to take the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G2) on Saudi Cup Day. 

But Imagination has failed to sparkle since. Fourth to Japanese sensation T O Elvis in the Churchill Downs (G1) on Kentucky Derby Day, he was fourth again in the True North (G3) at Saratoga. Imagination regressed on the stretch-out around Churchill’s one-turn mile in the June 28 Hanshin (G3), where he wound up ninth. Perhaps coming full circle back to Santa Anita will help.

In contrast, Listenupshance and Maximum Bourbon enter in career-best form as the one-two in the Bing Crosby (G1) photo finish at Del Mar. The Doug O’Neill-trained Listenupshance was continuing his upward curve after a trio of stakes placings, including a close third to divisional champion Book’em Danno and reigning Sprint winner Bentornato in the True North. Maximum Bourbon has a similarly progressive profile, having romped in his stakes debut in the April 30 St. Matthews S. at Churchill in his first start for Phil D’Amato.

Rounding out the quintet are Baffert’s other entrant, March of Time, and Ahrens from the Sadler barn. March of Time, a Justify half-brother to Bodemeister, faded to fifth in his stakes debut in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien (G2), but this cutback to six furlongs suits him. Lightly-raced three-year-old Ahrens, perfect in dirt sprints, takes his acid class test.