As Time Goes By wins second straight in Santa Maria S. (G2)

As Time Goes By scored a narrow victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Maria S. (G2) to give the 4-year-old her second consecutive graded stakes win of the Santa Anita meet.

The win did not come easy, as This Tea closed resolutely in the final furlong, but As Time Goes By, under Mike Smith, dug in very gamely to win by a nose in 1:43.77 for the 1 1/16-miles on the fast track. 

“I told Mike, we’ve been going easy on her, not too hard for this race,” said Baffert, who registered his meet-leading 14th stakes victory. “This is the first time she’s come back really blowing. That filly that ran second, ran a big race. As Time Goes By’s heart and true grit made her hang in there. We knew Miss Stormy D was quick, and you could tell turning for home that my filly wasn’t doing it that easily.”

As Time Goes By has won four of her five past starts, including the April 24 Santa Margarita S. (G2). Her earnings now stand at $380,600 for co-owners Tabor, Magnier and Smith.

As Time Goes By is a daughter of Baffert’s 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah and is out of the champion Take Charge Lady, making her a half-sister to Grade 1 winners Will Take Charge and Take Charge Indy.