Richi dominates Santa Maria S. (G2); Splendora a clear second

Richi (CHI) and Splendora completed a Bob Baffert exacta in the $200,000 Santa Maria S. (G2) April 19 at Santa Anita Park, with Richi 4 ½-lengths in front of her stablemate, who was a dozen lengths ahead of the rest of the field.

Richi, who was a Grade 1 winner in her home country, joined Baffert’s bard last summer. This year, she has progressed from winning the six-furlong Las Flores (G3) in January to her victory in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Maria.

Sent away the heavy favorite, Richi led Splendora through a sensible six furlongs in 1:10.62. When she was set down for the stretch drive, she easily pulled away from a hard-trying Splendora, who far outclassed the rest of the field.

The final time of 1:42.60 on a fast track was good for a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 102.

“Richi, she is like ‘been there, done that,’ and she is just getting better,” said Baffert. “I really think that she is getting acclimated now to the United States. It takes them about a year to get them acclimated to the States, but she just gets stronger and stronger and has just developed into a really nice filly.”

Richi is 8-4-1 in 14 starts, with five of those outings in the States. She has earned $382,424 for Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, Inc. (J. G. Sikura) and Stud Vendaval, Inc.