ARCADIA, Calif. (May 10, 2025) – California-bred Lovesick Blues wore down favored Bran in the lane to win Saturday’s $100,000 Siren Lure Stakes at Santa Anita.
Lovesick Blues is by Grazen, out of the Ministers Wild Cat mare Queenofhercastle, was bred by Nick Alexander, is owned by Mia Familia Racing Stable and trained by Librado Barocio.
With his first career stakes win, Lovesick Blues has eight wins in 39 starts, earnings of $524,000 and was coming off a third in the Mar. 30 Sensational Star.
“I knew he was getting better and better,” said Barocio. “He came off that layoff and ran a great race and last time he ran a great race against good horses and this time I had confidence. I don’t want to sound bragadocious, but I felt good. I just want to thank the good Lord above and Nick Alexander for being such a great breeder and allowing me to buy this horse from him.
“He’s a little tough to handle if you don’t know him, but he knows he’s the best horse and he struts like that. The way he looked today, dappled out, I had a feeling he was doing too good and acting like he was going to run a good one. Giovanni Franco gave him a great ride. I got a little nervous when the favorite, Bran, ran out there and Giovanni was patient. I knew he was going to close. I was confident, he trained hard and it happened.”
Lovesick Blues, a half-sibling to the Alexander-bred stakes winner Speedy Wilson, ran the six furlongs on the turf in 1:08.50 and won by one-half length as the 2-1 second choice in the field of four.