Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has stayed the course with 5-year-old Nafisa, who is entered in the April 19 $100,000 Santa Maria Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.
The daughter of Quality Road began her career winless in 12 starts before finally breaking her maiden on try No. 13. She then went on a three-race win streak, scoring in an allowance optional claiming race and taking the La Canada Stakes (G3) by 4 3/4 lengths. Her most recent start came in the B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile Stakes (G1), where she was a distant fifth to stablemate Splendora. She drops back into grade 3 company looking for her second stakes win. The La Canada Stakes and Santa Maria Stakes are both run at 1 1/16 miles, so Nafisa is no stranger to the distance. She is owned by Zedan Racing Stables, who purchased her for $1.8 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale.
Nafisa's main competition, Simply Joking, will break immediately to her inside from post 4. The daughter of Practical Joke is also coming out of the Beholder Mile, finishing fourth, in front of Nafisa. Owned by Berkels0813, CMNWLTH, Grantley Acres, and Ryan Conner, she has not been seen in the winner's circle since she won the 2025 Silverbulletday Stakes for trainer Whit Beckman. After moving to current trainer Michael McCarthy, she has notched two graded stakes placings, finishing second in the Nov. 30 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) and third in the Dec. 28 La Brea Stakes (G1).
The Santa Maria Stakes is the feature on the nine-race Sunday card at Santa Anita.
Santa Anita Park, Sunday, April 19, 2026, Race 8Entries: Santa Maria S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 Catalina Cocktail (CA) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 John W. Sadler - 2 Lemon Muffin (KY) Antonio Fresu 124 Patrick Gallagher - 3 Syntax (CA) Kyle Frey 120 Librado Barocio - 4 Simply Joking (PA) Emisael Jaramillo 122 Michael W. McCarthy - 5 Nafisa (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 124 Bob Baffert -
