Splendora, the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner, enters as the heavy favorite in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on Saturday. The 5-year-old mare, trained by Bob Baffert, aims for her fifth consecutive victory in the $300,000 race for older fillies and mares. She faces competition from stablemate Nafisa and eastern challengers.
The Beholder Mile highlights a competitive field at Santa Anita Park, where Splendora looks to extend her winning streak. After capturing the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint last year, the Audible mare began her 2026 season with a victory in the Grade 2 D. Wayne Lukas Stakes over seven furlongs on February 7 at Santa Anita. With a career record of 11 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, and earnings of $980,800, Splendora races for owner By Talla Racing. Jockey Juan Hernandez, who rode her in the Lukas Stakes, retains the mount.
Bob Baffert also saddles Nafisa, a 5-year-old Quality Road mare coming off a stakes debut win in the Grade 3 La Cañada Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on January 24 at Santa Anita. Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Nafisa will carry regular rider Kazushi Kimura.
From the East, Brad Cox’s Bless the Broken seeks her first Grade 1 win. The 4-year-old Laoban filly, owned by Qatar Racing and Mountmellick Farm, returned from a seven-month layoff to win a second-level allowance at 1 1/16 miles on January 9 at Fair Grounds. Previously trained by Will Walden, she won the Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park and placed third in the Kentucky Oaks last year. Florent Geroux rides.
Saffie Joseph Jr. enters Dazzling Move, a 5-year-old Not This Time mare who finished fifth in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes over seven furlongs on January 24 at Gulfstream Park. Her top achievement remains a win in the Grade 3 Royal Delta Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream last year. Owned by Miller Racing, she gets Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle.
Local contenders include Om N Joy, a 4-year-old California-bred by Om who won the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar last year. Trained by Aggie Ordonez for breeders Jerry Baker and Connie Baker along with partners Michael Golovko and Terrance J. Scanlan, she makes her first start since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland in October. Kent Desormeaux rides.
Simply Joking, trained by Michael McCarthy, returns after third in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes over seven furlongs on December 28 at Santa Anita. The Practical Joke filly, owned by Berkels0813, CMNWLTH, Grantley Acres, and Ryan Conner, won the Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds and was second in the Grade 2 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn before a poor showing in the Kentucky Oaks. Emisael Jaramillo takes over as rider.
