The Oak Leaf Stakes, a prominent event for 2-year-old fillies at Santa Anita, has been won by Eclipse Award divisional champion fillies It’s in the Air (1978), Landaluce (1982), Pleasant Stage (1991), Phone Chatter (1993), Chilukki (1999), Halfbridled (2003), Sweet Catomine (2004), Stardom Bound (2008), and Songbird (2015). But its winners also have gone on to good things beyond their 2-year-old campaigns. Winners Bold ’n Determined (1979), Serena’s Song (1994), and Songbird are in the Hall of Fame; Lite Light (1990) and Blind Luck (2009) went on to win the following year’s Kentucky Oaks; and Life’s Magic (1983) and Sacahuista (1986) also went on to earn future championships.
It’s that lofty list that Explora added her name to, and her name also is now among the 2025 Eclipse Award finalists for champion 2-year-old filly after that Grade 2 Oak Leaf victory and other solid performances.
Explora, by champion Blame and out of the winning mare Collections Choice, by outstanding broodmare sire Bernardini, was bred in Kentucky by Mesingw Farm. She was a $22,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Rusty Roberts, then was successfully pinhooked, via the Crane Thoroughbreds consignment, at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale, selling for $350,000 in Maryland. She was purchased by the “Three Amigos,” the partnership of Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman, longtime clients of trainer Bob Baffert.
:: Full list of 2025 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories
Explora won her debut for Baffert on Aug. 17 at Del Mar, rolling by 4 3/4 lengths, then quickly came back in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 6. Sent away as the favorite, she led early but finished second, beaten a length by Baffert-trained stablemate Bottle of Rouge.
Explora went two turns for the first time in the Oak Leaf on Oct. 4 at Santa Anita, with her pedigree suggesting she would relish the additional distance. She indeed rose to the challenge, dominating by 4 1/4 lengths. She was the record 14th Oak Leaf winner for Baffert.
Off the Oak Leaf win, Explora moved on to the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 31 at Del Mar. After sitting a nice, stalking trip under Juan Hernandez, she gamely tried to get to leader Super Corredora for the length of the stretch, missing by just three-quarters of a length at the wire to her fellow Eclipse Award finalist. She was three lengths clear of the rest of the field.
Explora wasn’t idle for long after the Breeders’ Cup. She breezed at Santa Anita through November and December preparing for her 3-year-old debut.
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