Meaning upsets Breeders’ Cup rivals in Las Virgenes Stakes

Sunday’s $98,000 Las Virgenes S. at Santa Anita was supposed to be a rematch of the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Indeed it was—but the outcome wasn’t as bettors anticipated.

Super Corredora and Explora, the top two finishers from the Breeders’ Cup, were projected to run 1-2 again in the Las Virgenes, with bettors favoring Explora at 4-5 to turn the tables on Super Corredora. Instead, it was Breeders’ Cup fourth-place finisher Meaning who stole the show with a determined homestretch rally.

Only four fillies faced the starter in the Las Virgenes, a one-mile Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifier awarding 20 points to the winner, 10 points to second, 6 to third, and 4 to fourth. When the gates opened, Explora and Super Corredora set off in an intense sprint for early supremacy, a battle ultimately won by Explora, who led Super Corredora by a head through hot fractions of :22.57 and :45.98.

Explora may have won the battle, but it cost her the war. Meaning, the early trailer under two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat, soon capitalized on the speed duel. Racing outside of rivals, she edged up to challenge through six furlongs in 1:10.59, and then—as Super Corredora gave way—Meaning battled past Explora to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:38.39.

“The first quarter-mile was quite fast and I couldn’t keep up with them,” said Prat. “When we got to the backside, she came underneath me nicely and I had a chance to get out. I felt like the two fillies in front of me were going to take a little bit of a breather. Since I was doing it so easily, I wanted to keep her involved. She did the job from there.”

Explora ran well in defeat. Fresh off a 5 1/4-length win in last month’s Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita, she pulled three lengths clear of longshot Bank Shot. Super Corredora, who was racing for the first time since the Breeders’ Cup, finished last of four, beaten 6 3/4 lengths.

The Las Virgenes marked the third start of Meaning’s brief career. The daughter of 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner won a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Los Alamitos before stepping up sharply in class and distance for the Breeders’ Cup.

“She’s a stronger filly, more mature,” said winning trainer Michael McCarthy. “She’s put on a lot of weight here in the last couple of months. It was a big ask going from a maiden at Los Alamitos to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. I gave her some time after the Breeders’ Cup to kind of get her feet underneath her and prepare for something like this.”

Bred by Stonehaven Steadings, Meaning is owned by the partnership of Bridlewood Farm and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. She’s accumulated 26 Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualification points, ranking fifth on the latest leaderboard. Explora (45 points) and Super Corredora (34 points) occupy the top two slots.