ARCADIA, Calif. – On a day dominated by flashy 3-year-olds, the 5-year-old mare Richi made her presence known with an attractive win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita.
In her first start since June, and second start in the United States, Richi ($8) closed from third in a field of five to win the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes at six furlongs by 1 1/2 lengths over 1-5 favorite Pleasant. The Las Flores was Pleasant’s first start since a third in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2.
The first two finishers are trained by Bob Baffert, who won four races on Saturday, including a maiden race with the 3-year-old Rodriguez, the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds with Barnes, and an allowance race with the 4-year-old Mirahmadi.
Baffert last won four races on a single program at Los Alamitos on Sept. 24, 2023. He won five races at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, 2002.
:: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets.
On Saturday, Richi, ridden by Kazushi Kimura, was timed in 1:09.05 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
Kimura, riding Richi for the first time, kept the Chilean-bred mare on the inside, stalking pacesetter Don’t Bring Crazy through modest early fractions of 22.70 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.01 for a half-mile.
“I was just waiting,” Kimura said. “She was comfortable. I asked her and she responded really well.”
Richi took the lead in early stretch and led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong remaining.
Pleasant, racing three wide on the turn, could not keep pace with Richi, but held second, finishing seven lengths clear of 15-1 Don’t Bring Crazy, who ran third.
“The only excuse I have is she was a little short,” jockey Juan Hernandez said of Pleasant. “I was always chasing, chasing, chasing.
“She was never in her rhythm.”
“She still ran okay. I got beat by a good filly.”
Irish Wahine and Wine On Tap completed the order of finish. Anywho and Pushiness were scratched earlier on Saturday.
Richi, by Practical Joke, races for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings and Stud Vendaval. She was second in the Desert Stormer Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita last June in her lone start of 2024.
Richi wore blinkers last June, but was not fitted with the equipment on Saturday.
In Chile earlier in her career, Richi was a five-time stakes winner, including Group 1 races at about 7 1/2 furlongs and 1 1/4 miles in 2023.
After her loss in the Desert Stormer, Richi had a steady pattern of workouts until mid-July. She resumed workouts in late October at Los Alamitos and joined Baffert’s main stable at Santa Anita in late November.
“This filly has really come around,” Baffert said. “She was a good filly in South America.”
Richi has won 7 of 11 starts and earned $178,424.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.