From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 29, 2023)—California-bred Fun to Dream, fresh off the biggest win of her life here on Dec. 26, heads a field of six older fillies and mares going seven furlongs in Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita.
An impressive three quarter length winner of the Grade I La Brea Stakes at the same distance on opening day, Fun to Dream, unbeaten in three starts at seven panels, seeks her fourth win in a row and her sixth from seven lifetime starts in the Santa Monica.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Fun to Dream, a 4-year-old filly by Arrogate out of the Maria’s Mon mare Lutess, was bred by Baffert and Connie Pageler and is owned by Jill Baffert and Connie Pageler.
Ridden in all six of her starts by Juan Hernandez, Fun to Dream earned a career-top 94 Beyer Speed Figure in the La Brea and should be tough to deny on Saturday.
Second by three quarters of a length to Fun to Dream in the La Brea, Doug O’Neill’s Awake At Midnyte, second three starts back in the Grade II Zenyatta Stakes at a mile and one sixteenth on Oct. 2, is five-times graded stakes placed and will try to turn the tables on the top selection in what will be her 11th career start.
A 4-year-old filly by O’Neill and owner Paul Reddam’s 2016 Kentucky Derby winning Nyquist, Awake At Midnite is out of the Union Rags mare Midnight Union and sold for $320,000 at a 2-year-old in training sale in 2021.
With regular rider Mario Gutierrez back aboard, Awake At Midnyte, who seeks her first graded stakes win, has two wins, four seconds and a third place finish to go with earnings of $329,675.
THE GRADE II SANTA MONICA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 4:00 p.m. PT
- Anacapa – John Velazquez – 120
- Fun to Dream – Juan Hernandez – 124
- Samurai Charm – Flavien Prat – 120
- Angel Nadeshiko – Mike Smith – 120
- Awake At Midnyte – Mario Gutierrez – 120
- Lady T – Victor Espinoza – 122