Adare Manor heavily favored in Santa Margarita title defense

Following back-to-back losses, Adare Manor rebounded spectacularly in the April 13 Apple Blossom H. (G1) at Oaklawn Park, rolling to a 5 1/2-length decision, and the five-year-old will look to add another graded event to her resume when lining up for Sunday’s $200,000 Santa Margarita (G2) at Santa Anita.

Adare Manor, a 4 1/2-length winner of last year's Santa Margarita, has been pegged as the 3-5 morning line favorite among five fillies and mares in the 1 1/8-mile race.

Bob Baffert trains the daughter of Uncle Mo and Adare Manor won five straight before coming up short in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) last fall. After opening 2024 with a close second at odds-on in March’s Beholder Mile (G1), she turned things around in the Apple Blossom, notching her first win from three starts outside of California, and the six-time stakes winner boosted her earnings to more than $1.7 million.

The dark bay mare will be prominent from the start with regular rider Juan Hernandez.

Coffee in Bed, the early 5-2 second choice, will try to carry her momentum forward after registering her first stakes victory in the April 21 Santa Maria (G2), scoring by a neck. Mike Smith will be back up on the four-year-old Curlin filly for Richard Mandella.

Argentinean import Super Shine, a neck second when making her U.S. debut in the Santa Maria, is intriguing for Phil d’Amato and Frankie Dettori. Blue Dream Machine, a debut winner at Aqueduct in late February, will make her second stakes attempt after a fourth in the Santa Maria, and Kyle Frey has the call for Richard Baltas. Last-out allowance winner Henny Crazy Train completes the field.