ARCADIA, Calif. (May 24, 2025) – Left at the gate and nine lengths behind at the quarter pole, favored Om N Joy rallied along the rail through the stretch for an improbable win in Saturday’s $125,000 Melair Stakes for Golden State Series eligible 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita.
Om N Joy is by Om, out of the Hard Spun mare Margie’s Minute, was bred by Jerry and Connie Baker, is owned by Baker, Golovko or Scanlan, et al and trained by Aggie Ordonez.
“When she broke badly, I just said, ‘Well, let’s see. She likes to come from behind. Does she have anything left?” said Jerry Baker. “And when Kent started moving down the rail, I said, “Oh my gosh, she has a shot.’ What a tremendous ride, he was patient and he did it.”
Sent off at 2-1, Om N Joy has three wins in 10 starts, earnings of $225,640 and was coming off a win in the Apr. 5 Evening Jewel.
“That is why you ride Kent Desormeaux,” said Ordonez. “She has been the biggest pleasure to train and it is such an honor to train for Connie and Jerry Baker. Kent used to get on her at Del Mar and ride her around the barn area and he knew from the start that she was good. I’m so glad it all worked out and I can’t wait for the new things to come.”
Om N Joy ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.67 and won by a half length over Going Deep, the longest shot in the field of six.
While Om N Joy (2-1) was toiling at the rear, Fibonaccis Ride (9-2)—with pressure from 15-1 longshot Going Deep—set a pace of 23.48, 48.12 and 1:12.44 for six furlongs. Inside the quarter pole, Going Deep had put away Fibonaccis Ride, was clear by 2 ½ lengths at the eighth pole and appeared poised to spring the upset. But she could not hold off an oncoming Om N Joy, who surged through on the inside to make it back-to-back stakes wins after previously taking the Evening Jewel at 6 ½ furlongs on April 5 at Santa Anita. Going Deep finished second by 2 ¼ lengths over third-place finisher Lady Mendelssohn (5-1).
Desormeaux was in the irons, his second win on the card.
“When she came out of the gate, I had words with the starter,” Desormeaux joked. “It was her fault, she threw her head right at the start and I’m telling you it was nerve wracking down the backstretch. It was too far back. She proved to be a lot better than I thought she was because she had no right to win today, and she did it anyway. She is a tremendous athlete, well trained by Ms. Aggie.”
