Baffert fillies complete Santa Ysabel S. (G3) exacta

Eda bested stablemate Under the Stars by a half-length in Sunday’s $100,000 Santa Ysabel S. (G3) to give trainer Bob Baffert a 1-2 finish in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

Eda, who has won four straight races dating back to October, is now 5-1-0 in seven starts and has earned $430,000 for owner Baoma Corporation.

Eda well and took the lead in the first sixteenth, while Under the Stars was a bit tardy out of the gate, then rushed up between horses to be just behind her stablemate midway on the first turn. The running order didn’t change until Ain’t Easy moved into second at the top of the stretch. Eda put two lengths on the field soon after and Under the Stars rallied strongly to gain the place and was closing on the winner at the wire.

“Both of my fillies were training really well and I was debating whether to run (Eda), there was another spot,” said Baffert. “It was either run here or go to Sunland Park. I thought, well, we’ll keep her here. She worked well coming into this and I’m happy both of my horses ran well. I don’t know where I’m going to run them next. We’ll definitely be in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2, April 9) with someone, but I don’t know yet.”

Eda is Baffert’s record seventh Santa Ysabel winner. He first won the race with Atlantic Ocean in 2003 and most recently with Beautiful Gift in 2021.