Splendora Best Of The Bafferts In Filly & Mare Sprint

[Wandering Eyes]

Derived from the Latin word 'splendor', Splendora (Audible) equates in the dictionary to magnificent brilliance or a dazzling display of beauty. Putting in a performance worthy of her name, the 4-year-old daughter of Audible upset her favored stablemate Hope Road (Quality Road) to capture the GI PNC Bank Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, the first Breeders' Cup race of the card Saturday.

Perhaps a true horse for course and certainly a hometown girl for California, three of Splendora's four previous wins have come over the Del Mar dirt. Campaigned where the turf meets the surf over the summer, she rewarded trainer Bob Baffert and owner By Talla Racing with two straight victories coming into the Breeders' Cup including a last-out romp by 5 1/2 lengths in the restricted Tranquility Lake Stakes at one mile Sept. 1.

One of three Baffert-trained entries to go to post in a race heavily impacted by the morning-of scratches of both Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca) and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), Splendora was the middle wagering choice of three, going off at odds of 5-2 while Hope Road attracted even money and Richi (Chi) (Practical Joke) drew widest at 4-1.

Showing a good turn of foot from the inside, Splendora broke in line with the field was quickly overtaken by a host of rivals to her outside, each of whom was sent to lead. Hope Road went fastest of a trio that separated itself out in the first furlong with Haulin Ice (Coal Front) and Richi keeping things tight through an opening quarter in :22.12. Splendora, guided by jockey Flavien Prat, settled beautifully behind those frontrunners in a joint fourth on the run into the far turn. Clearly with plenty of horse, Prat finally tipped his filly off the rail approaching the quarter pole and she swept up four wide to engage Hope Road as the field straightened for the line.

The duel between stablemates lasted mere strides before Splendora hit the front with a furlong to run and opened up with Prat going to the stick just once left handed before settling for hands and heels to the wire. Vahva (Gun Runner), in her final start before selling at Keeneland November, made up plenty of ground into the stretch to steal second from Hope Road who settled for third in a final running time of 1:21.79.

Splendora's win gave Baffert his second in the Filly & Mare Sprint after he captured it first with Gamine (Into Mischief) in 2020. It was the first victory in the race for Prat and his eighth overall in a Breeders' Cup race.

“She has been working really well and she loves this track,” said Baffert following the race. “I told (Flavien) Prat, when she ran here this summer, going six furlongs, she ran an incredible race and just sat off the pace. When he swooped up to the outside (today) and she took off, it was over. Hope Road, she ran great. I thought she would be off the pace a little bit. These races, they are so tough to win.”

“I honestly was a bit worried that we might have a lack of speed because of all the scratches, but the pace was fair and I was able to travel good,” Prat added. “I really felt like I was traveling well all the way around and as soon as I was able to go around everybody, she just give me a good run.”

Pedigree Note:
Splendora was a $125,000 yearling purchase for Talla Racing and Rockingham Ranch at Fasig-Tipton's July Sale in 2022. Her breeder, The Elkstone Group, picked up first dam Miss Freeze with the winner in utero for $45,000 at Keeneland November in 2020 and she's since produced two foals from two to race.

She is the first Grade I winner for Audible, a young son of Into Mischief who captured the GI Xpressbet Florida Derby himself before retiring to stud at WinStar Farm. From three crops, he's been represented by 141 winners and seven stakes winners including My Mane Squeeze.

Miss Freeze is one of only two foals from her own dam, who was herself a half-sister to MSW Royal Currier (Red Bullet), a gelding who earned over $869,000 on track up and down the East Coast. A $37,000 RNA at KEENOV back in 2023, Miss Freeze has a 2-year-old colt on the work tab named Oracle of Beaufort (Demarchelier {GB}) and reported a filly by Tiz the Law this season. She is due to National Treasure for 2026.

Saturday, Del Mar
PNC BANK BREEDERS' CUP FILLY & MARE SPRINT-GI, $890,000, Del Mar, 11-1, 3yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:21.79, ft.
1–SPLENDORA, 124, f, 4, by Audible
                1st Dam: Miss Freeze (SW), by Frost Giant
                2nd Dam: Reata's Vixen, by Sligo Bay (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Top of the League, by Lite the Fuse
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($125,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL). O-By Talla Racing LLC; B-The Elkstone Group LLC (MD); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $520,000. Lifetime Record: 10-5-4-0, $860,800. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Vahva, 124, m, 5, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Holiday Soiree (SW & GISP, $405,642), by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: Try to Remember, by Include
                3rd Dam: Casanova Striker, by Smart Strike
($280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing LLC, Hudson, Lynne, Hudson, Jr., Edward J., West Point Thoroughbreds, Twin Brook Stables, Farish, W.S., LBD Stable LLC, Runnels Racing and Manganaro Bloodstock; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $170,000.
3–Hope Road, 124, f, 4, by Quality Road
                1st Dam: Marley's Freedom (GISW, $1,233,935), by Blame
                2nd Dam: Relaxing Green, by Formal Gold
                3rd Dam: Charlotte Augusta, by Chief's Crown
($575,000 RNA Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-Cicero Farms LLC; B-Cicero Farms LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $90,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1 1/4, 4 1/4. Odds: 2.90, 9.80, 1.10.
Also Ran: Zeitlos, Richi (Chi), Haulin Ice, Praying. Scratched: Fee Blanche (Jpn), Sweet Azteca, Tamara.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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