Santa Ynez a mix of stakes veterans, recent maiden winners

The $100,000 Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita on Sunday has attracted a field of eight three-year-olds fillies, half of whom possess stakes experience. The other half are stepping up in class following debut maiden wins.

Look Forward cuts back to seven furlongs after finishing second best in the 1 1/16-mile Starlet (G2) at Los Alamitos four weeks ago. Runner-up to Tenma by 1 3/4 lengths, Look Forward finished nine lengths clear of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) runner-up Vodka With a Twist.

Well up the track in the Starlet was Practical Dream, who ran well below her capabilities, though perhaps to bettors' expectations, given she started at 24-1. Earlier in the fall, Practical Dream exchanged decisions with Silent Law in the Anoakia S. and Desi Arnaz S.

The other stakes veteran in the Santa Ynez lineup is Mawu, third in the Desi Arnaz and fourth in the Starlet.

The last-out graduates might make some noise. A. Z. Wildcat won at first asking at Los Alamitos way back at the end of June for John Sadler. Howin, a daughter of Gun Runner trained by Bob Baffert, was a first out winner going a mile in October.

Artisma, also by Munnings, made a winning first appearance at the Del Mar fall meet, while Polythene Pam (a hunch play for fans of The Beatles) pulled off a mild surprise at Los Alamitos three weeks ago.

The Santa Ynez, a Grade 3 in recent years but downgraded for 2025, still retains a spot in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series. The top five finishers on Sunday will be awarded Oaks qualifying points of 10-5-3-2-1, respectively.

The most recent filly to win both the Santa Ynez and Kentucky Oaks was Goodbye Halo in 1988.