Tenma tops stablemate Silent Law in Santa Anita Oaks (G2)

Tenma stamped herself as a leading contender for this year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) with her win in Saturday’s Santa Anita Oaks (G1), topping her stablemate Silent Law by 2 ½-lengths.

Tenma has won three straight graded races dating back to last December, and now has 108 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks challenge, assuring herself a spot in the May 2^nd race at Churchill Downs.

It was Silent Law who broke best and dueled with No Bad Beats through a rapid quarter-mile of :22.85. Silent Law dispatched her foe after a half-mile, then had to contend with Vodka With a Twist. Those two were joined on the far turn by a three-wide Tenma, who had the momentum and turned for home with a narrow lead. The more experienced Tenma got the best of her stablemate in the final furlong, while Silent Law was six lengths clear of her closest pursuer.

“We are trying to get (Tenma) to the Kentucky Oaks and she had been progressing, getting better and better,” Baffert said of the winner. “I liked the way she settled today. There was a lot of speed in the race. She is becoming more professional as we go. She has come a long way and she is great to be around. She is a lovely filly. It’s pretty exciting to run one-two in a stake like this.”

Tenma has now won five of six starts, including four graded stakes, and earned $549,000 for the Baoma Corp.