Explora cruises to first Grade 1 in Test

Explora, who had run like a Grade 1-quality filly since the start of her career, finally earned that distinction on Saturday with a runaway score in the $500,000 Test (G1) at Saratoga.

Favored at around 9-5 in the field of eight three-year-old fillies, Explora rated 1 1/2 lengths off pacesetting second choice Movie Night before pouncing on that rival and Goodall in upper stretch. Under Flavien Prat, Explora glided into the lead and extended her margin to five lengths at the wire.

After getting worked up a little bit in the preliminaries, Explora is now a prime candidate to face older rivals this fall in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland.

“She was losing it a little bit [in the paddock]. I didn't get a chance to school her here, and she can be on her toes, and she was getting a little bit warm, but luckily, once we hosed her down, then she settled back down,” Baffert said.

Explora finished up seven furlongs in 1:22.42 over a fast track and paid $5.74. She is owned in partnership by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, and is trained by Bob Baffert, who was winning the Test for a fourth time.

Percy’s Bar, the Ashland (G1) winner, rallied for second by 1 3/4 lengths over Goodall. The order of finish was rounded out by Sippin Pretty, On Time Girl, Movie Night, Carmel Coast, and Where Luck Lives.

This was the fifth career stakes win for Explora, who last year landed the Oak Leaf (G2), as well as the Santa Ynez S., Honeybee (G3), and Leslie’s Lady S. earlier this term. Her Honeybee success came at the expense of Counting Stars, the pro tem leader among three-year-old filly routers.

Explora had two prior runner-up finishes at the top level in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and was also a solid fourth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) after setting the pace. Her record now stands at 10-6-3-0.

Explora is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Blame and out of Collections Choice, by Bernardini.