Santa Anita Barn Notes II: Cavalieri Headlines G2 Zenyatta Stakes

From the Santa Anita Media Team:

UNBEATEN GRADE I WINNER CAVALIERI, LAST YEAR’S WINNER SUGAR FISH LEAD SUNDAY’S GRADE II ZENYATTA STAKES GOING 1 1/16 MILES AT SANTA ANITA

An automatic berth in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff goes to the winner

ARCADIA, CA (Sept. 23, 2025)—Unbeaten Grade I winner Cavalieri and last year’s winner Sugar Fish are among the field set for Sunday’s Grade II, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita. As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series, the winner of the Zenyatta earns an automatic berth to this year’s $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar.

Cavalieri will be starting for the first time since March 8 when she won the GI Beholder Mile to stay perfect in four starts for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Speedway Stable. Cavalieri prevailed in the Beholder Mile by a half-length over stablemate Richi, who also returns in the Zenyatta for Baffert.

Cavalieri will be ridden by Juan Hernnandez. The perennial leading rider in Southern California has been aboard Cavalieri all four of her victories including the GIII La Canada in January prior to the Beholder Mile.

Sugar Fish won last year’s Zenyatta as a 3-year-old for trainer Jeff Mullins and owners Sweetwater Stable and By Talla Racing. The daughter of Accelerate went on to finish fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and then third in the GI La Brea to close out 2024.

This year’s Zenyatta will be the second start of the year for Sugar Fish. Following her effort in the La Brea last December, she did not resurface until Sept. 1 at Del Mar when she ran an even fifth in the restricted Tranquility Lake Stakes going a mile. Regular rider Tyler Baze has the call on Sugar Fish.

Richi most recently finished third in the GI Clement L. Hirsch on Aug. 2 at Del Mar, which came after a 3 ½-month layoff. Following her runner-up effort in the Beholder Mile, Richi won the GII Santa Maria in April at Santa Anita prior to receiving a break.

A 5-year-old mare by Practical Joke, Richi was bred in Chile where she was a Group I winner. Campaigned domestically by Hill ‘n’ Dale Equine Holdings, she sports an overall record of 15: 8-4-2 with $430,424 in earnings.

The new face in the lineup is La Kika, who makes her U.S. debut for trainer Doug O’Neill and owner Amistad. A 4-year-old filly by Badge of Silver, La Kika was imported earlier this year from her native Peru where she was a Group 1 winner on both dirt and turf. Jockey Hector Berrios takes the call on La Kika for her U.S. unveiling.

THE GII ZENYATTA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 10 – Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT