By DRF.com
ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 6, 2025) – Multiple stakes winner Stay and Scam, third in the race a year ago, takes on California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Winter Mixed Sale graduate Safa in the rescheduled $125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint, presented by John Deere, on Saturday, Jan. 18, at Santa Anita.
Stay and Scam is by Square Eddie, out of the Momentum mare Puff Pastry, was bred by owner Reddam Racing and is trained by Doug O’Neill. She has six wins in 17 starts, earnings of $440,360 and is coming off a third in the Nov. 11 Senator Ken Maddy. She was third in this race last year.
Stay and Scam is the only runner in a field of six that has won at the race distance of about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside course. Stay and Scam, who was third by a head in the 2024 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint, won an allowance race and the Irish O’Brien Stakes for statebred fillies and mares on the hillside course last February and March.
In Saturday’s race, Stay and Scam will be strongly favored on that form, and for a third in the Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares at five furlongs on turf Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
Stay and Scam, trained by Doug O’Neill for breeders/owners Paul and Zillah Reddam, was deliberately given a 10-week gap between starts.
“We purposefully circled this race to give her time,” O’Neill said. “She continues to train well.”
Safa is a supplemented entry by Grazen, out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Hadarra, was bred by Derek Lawson, is owned by Bisharat, Souheil and Khoury, Khalil and trained by Gary Stute. She has four wins in 18 starts, earnings of $324,160 and is coming off a win in a Jan. 5 optional claimer.
Stay and Scam is quick enough to lead and also a capable stalker. Last May, she won the Fran’s Valentine Stakes for statebred fillies and mares at one mile by racing near the front throughout.
In that race, Stay and Scam finished a length in front of Moment’s Pleasure, who later won the Solana Beach Stakes for fillies and mares at one mile on turf at Del Mar in August.
Moment’s Pleasure is part of Saturday’s field, her first career start on the hillside course. Trained by Craig Lewis, Moment’s Pleasure won a six-furlong maiden race on turf on the flat course at Santa Anita last April.
Moment’s Pleasure is by Clubhouse Ride, out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Lamazone, was bred by Rainmaker Racing LLC, Ben & Sally Warren & Bret Lewis and is owned by Rainmaker Racing and Bret Lewis. She has four wins in 13 starts, earnings of $292,340 and is coming off a Dec. 26 optional claiming win.
Andiamo Regazza is by Smiling Tiger, out of the Acclamation mare Ragazza Di Vola, was bred by Hat Trick, is owned by Hat Trick Racing, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber and is trained by Peter Miller. She has two wins in seven starts, earnings of $75,930 and is coming off an eighth in a Nov. 22 optional claimer.
Quantum Innergy is by Clubhouse Ride, out of the Wildcat Heir mare Wild Caroline, was bred by James Shenouda, is owned by Innergy Racing Corp and Zephyr Racing and is trained by Antonio Garcia. She has three wins in 10 starts, earnings of $111,700 and is coming off a Dec. 6 optional claiming win.
Satellite Heart is by Accelerate, out of the Unusual Heat mare Tahitian Lagoon, was bred by Harris Farms & Donald Valpredo, is owned by Giddyup JR and trained by George Papaprodromou. She has four wins in 14 starts, earnings of $150,980 and is coming off a third in a Nov. 24 optional claimer.
Shocking Grey is by Grazen, out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Seoul Unbridled, was bred by Donald Valpredo, is owned by Valpredo Family Trust and trained by Jeff Mullins. She has two wins in 13 starts, earnings of $175,750 and is coming off a fourth in a Dec. 26 optional claimer.
Barbera is by Stay Thirsty, out of the Roman Ruler mare Roman Wild, was bred by Myles McMahon, is owned by McLean Racing Stables and trained by Aggie Ordonez. She has four wins in 15 starts, earnings of $110,630 and is coming off a win in a Dec. 26 optional claimer.
Elegant Sway is by Majestic Harbor, out of the Munnings mare Artistic Sway, was bred by Harris Farms, is owned by James McIntyre and Colin Murray and trained by Victor Trujillo. She has four wins in 19 starts, earnings of $87,291 and is coming off a second in a Dec. 27 claimer.