Cipriani one of three for Baffert in Santa Ysabel

Feb 28, 2025 Vance Hanson/Brisnet.com

Cipriani was no match for her more experienced and accomplished stablemate Tenma in the Feb. 2 Las Virgenes (G3), but off her second-place finish in that race looks the filly to beat in the $100,000 Santa Ysabel (G3) at Santa Anita on Sunday.

The Santa Ysabel, run over 1 1/16 miles, offers Kentucky Oaks (G1) qualifying points of 50-25-15-10-5 to the respective top finishers. Six fillies were entered, three of them trained by Bob Baffert.

One of Baffert's is Cipriani, who was entered in the one-mile Las Virgenes off a three-month layoff which followed an 8 1/4-length debut win going 6 1/2 furlongs. She wound up beaten 6 1/2 lengths by Tenma but finished almost 18 lengths ahead of her closest pursuer, Just as Fancy.

Baffert's other two entries both enter the Santa Ysabel off more lackluster attempts. Maysam finished sixth of seven in the Sunland Park Oaks two weeks ago, losing by 18 lengths as the 1-10 favorite. Howin was not effective, either, in the Jan. 5 Santa Ynez, finishing a distant fourth, but might appreciate the return to routing on Sunday.

Supa Speed has won or placed in all of her prior attempts facing fillies, albeit all occurred on the grass. The stakes-winning Hey Jessie won her only previous start on dirt but hasn't yet run outside the California-bred ranks.

The scheduled post time for the Santa Ysabel is 5:30 p.m. ET. The race can be watched and wagered on at TwinSpires.com.