Progressive Starspangledbanner mare Lady Claypoole has been in great form this year in easier races and stepped up in class for the Group III Santa Ana Stakes (1 ¼ m) at Santa Anita on Saturday she kept the winning run going to claim her first Black Type victory.
Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden by Tiago Josue Pereira, Lady Claypoole swept home to win by two and a half lengths taking her overall record to four wins and four placings from 19 starts.
“I saw there were a couple of horses with speed and I thought the pace might be pretty good,” said winning rider Tiago Perira.
“She broke so relaxed. She never pulled. Then at the three-eighths pole, she asked me. I held her for just a little bit, then asked her at the quarter pole and she flew home.”
Richard Baltas was not surprised at the result.
“She has been getting good and has been training at San Luis Rey Downs, they are doing a great job on her. Tiago fits her, he just gets her to settle and he saves ground. He has given her three perfect rides. I have to give a lot of credit to him,” he said.
Lady Claypoole started her racing career in the UK under the care of James Ferguson and was a 44,000gns purchase for her former trainer at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale in 2021. She was later bought by her owners Abbondanza Racing for $100,000 out of Bluewater Sales’ draft at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale in 2023.
The 49th stakes-winner for Starspangledbanner, Lady Claypoole is a half-sister to Group II Rodaballo and is the second stakes-winner among six winners from Group III placed Short Affair, who is also the grand-dam of Group II winner Flight Plan.
