Santa Anita Saturday: Seismic Beauty Makes 2026 Debut

For Seismic Beauty, 2025 was a story in 3 acts: she started out sprinting, coming up short in lower level races; she moved to route races, picking off back-to-back graded stakes; and the year ended with the thud of thuds after her 7th place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

The Grade 2 Santa Margarita is up next, the race where Seismic Beauty got her first stakes win last year.  A daughter of multiple grade 1 winner Uncle Mo, Seismic Beauty was sold for $2,500,000 in November, and her new connections made the popular decision to keep her in training.

Now a Grade 1 and Grade 2 winner, Seismic Beauty will get her 2026 campaign underway today.  She’s in a muddled division – the Distaff Division – where she can absolutely be the best runner.  She can become the 7th two-time winner of the race, following up Adare Manor from 2 and 3 years ago; also on the list is the great Bayakoa, a top 100 race horse of the 20th century.

Let’s meet the field, and put together our weekly wager.  If you’re wagering on Santa Anita, check out AmWager!  They’ve got a 100% deposit match up to $50 for new customers.

Grade 2 Santa Margarita.  1 ⅛ miles, dirt.  Fillies & Mares 3+up.  $200,000.

1. Om N Joy. 5/1.        Jockey: Kent Desormeaux.    Trainer: Aggie Ordonez.

If there were a California-only distaff division, Om N Joy would be the class.  She’s one of three graded stakes winners in this group, topping a competitive field in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines at Del Mar last fall.  Her 2026 runs have been less compelling, and likely leave her outside looking in versus this group.

Comment: toss.

2. Lemon Muffin. 15/1.    Jockey: Kazushi Kimura.    Trainer: Patrick Gallagher.

Lemon Muffin was the top 2024 3-year-old filly of the late D. Wayne Lukas, and gave bettors a thrill in the Honeybee that year at Oaklawn Park, paying $58 to win on her way to a start in the Kentucky Oaks.  She’s won only once since then, and I don’t see her winning here today.

Comment: first toss.

3. Seismic Beauty. 2/5.    Jockey: Juan Hernandez.    Trainer: Bob Baffert.

Trainer Bob Baffert can tie Ron McAnally for the most wins in the Santa Margarita – 6 – with a win today.  While records are nice, a year-long championship run could begin here today for Seismic Beauty.  In a distaff division where no filly or mare has distinguished herself to this point, she can make a statement today.  I expect her to do exactly that.

Comment: single.

4. Simply Joking. 3/1.        Jockey: Emisael Jaramillo.    Trainer: Michael McCarthy.

Simply Joking holds an honor few racehorses ever do: she’s only ever run in stakes company.  She began her career in the Whit Beckman barn, and won her first two races at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.  After a disappointing run in a sloppy Kentucky Oaks, she was moved to the McCarthy barn, who has since moved her to exclusively west coast races.  She was a dominant winner in the Grade 3 Santa Maria last out; she’ll have to repeat that performance, and add some speed if she’s going to keep pace with Seismic Beauty.  She’s only 4, so she’s got time to develop, and I believe she will.

Comment: toss.

5. Lavender Love. 10/1.    Jockey: Armando Ayuso.    Trainer: Richard Baltas.

Speaking of 4-year-olds, Lavender Love has found a new gear this year, moving from exclusively turf racing to a trio of races on the dirt.  In her two starts routing, she’s turned in a pair of wins, with both coming at Santa Anita.  I don’t think she’s fast enough to win, but I’ve got her in 2nd position.

Comment: will hit the board.

The Sporting Tribune Wagers:

$5 Pick 3, Starts Race 6 ($40):  1,5 / 2,4,8,9 / 3.

$20 Exacta, Race 8 ($20):    3 / 5.