Expensive Curlin Filly Himika As Advertised On Santa Anita Debut, Becomes a ‘Rising Star’

[Wandering Eyes]

Baoma Corp.'s HIMIKA (f, 2, Curlin–Motivated Seller, by Into Mischief), a $900,000 purchase out of this year's OBS April Sale, looked in a bit of trouble through the opening three panels of a five-furlong maiden at Santa Anita Thursday. But when Juan Hernandez was able to push away from the inside and with dead aim on pacesetting Stuffy Mist (Maximus Mischief), the athletic bay gathered that one up with ease a few strides later and whistled home to score by the better part of seven lengths, ears back and forth and up and down on the wire, to become a no-brainer 'TDN Rising Star'. Drawn the fence, the firming 1-2 chalk was away neatly enough, but couldn't quite go with the early gallop and was forced to sit behind and wait for room. That daylight came as soon as heads were turned for home and Himika had soon built a massive advantage, then was taken in hand for the better part of the last sixteenth of a mile, stopping the clock in :57.84–and that could have been significantly faster had Hernandez so chosen. Bred by Klaravich Stable, Himika breezed an eighth in :9 4/5 at the April Sale and caught the eye of Donato Lanni, who signed the winning ticket on behalf of Baoma. The bay had done little wrong in her morning trials locally, and in her final breeze, went heads up with Nothing Like You (Malibu Moon), the 2024 GII Santa Anita Oaks heroine, through four furlongs from the gate in :46 4/5. Sales history: $900,000 2yo '25 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0. O-Baoma Corp; B-Klaravich Stable Inc (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

 

#1 HIMIKA ($3.00) was an easy winner of the 2nd race at @SantaAnitaPark. The two-year-old Curlin filly broke her maiden on debut under @JJHernandezS19 for trainer Bob Baffert. pic.twitter.com/mxazPvLvRJ

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 12, 2025

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