Irish O’Brien Stakes 2024 | Santa Anita Park Picks

Rose Maddox takes aim at another stakes win down the Santa Anita Park hillside turf course when she takes on six rivals in Sunday’s $100,000 Irish O’Brien Stakes for California-breds.

First post is 1 p.m. Sunday with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

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Trained by Steve Miyadi, Rose Maddox last fall won the California Distaff Handicap when sprinting about 6 ½ furlongs on the Santa Anita hillside course. The 5-year-old Grazen mare on Jan. 13 reaffirmed her liking for the hill’s unique layout when taking the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint.

In the Sunshine Millions, Rose Maddox prevailed in a blanket finish. She bested runner-up Chancery Way by a nose, with a head back to Stay and Scam in third and a half-length to Chismosa.

All four fillies and mares return in the Irish O’Brien.

Rose Maddox most recently was moved to dirt in the six-furlong Spring Fever for statebreds on Feb. 18 and checked in fourth.

Racing as a homebred for Nick Alexander, Rose Maddox has a record of 7-8-1 in 21 starts with $521,782 in earnings.

Flavien Prat, who was aboard for Rose Maddox’s win in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint and the Spring Fever, will again be in the irons Sunday.

Chancery Way is a four-time stakes winer for trainer Jamey Thomas.

Last year, the 5-year-old Mr. Big mare won the six-furlong Governor’s Cup on dirt at Sacramento, the Betty Grable Stakes for statebreds at seven furlongs on dirt at Del Mar and the six-furlong Bear Fan on synthetic at Golden Gate, which was also versus statebreds.

In the Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf Sprint, Chancery Way led into the stretch under Antonio Fresu before getting nailed on the wire by Rose Maddox. Fresu again has the call Sunday.

Owned by Andy Smolich and Rob Smolich and bred by Harris Farms and John Nicoletti, Chancery Way sports a record of 7-3-2 in 13 starts with $345,770 in earnings.

Following her close-up third in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint, Stay and Scam returned to the Santa Anita hill Feb. 10 and conquered open company in a second level allowance. The victory improved her record on turf to 3-2-1 in six starts for trainer Doug O’Neill.

Stay and Scam is a homebred for Reddam Racing. The 4-year-old Square Eddie filly has an overall mark of 4-2-1 in nine starts with $230,760 in earnings.

Chismosa won the GIII Las Flores at six furlongs on dirt Jan. 1 prior to her close-up fourth in the Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf Sprint. She went back to the dirt for the GII Santa Monica going seven furlongs here Feb. 3 and was second by 2 ½ lengths to Three Witches.

Trained by Rafael Deleon for owner and breeder Jaime R. Renella, Chismosa has a record of 4-3-2 in 14 starts with $417,250 in earnings. She will be reunited Sunday with jockey Kyle Frey, who was aboard for both the Las Flores win and the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint.

THE $100,000 IRISH O’BRIEN AT SANTA ANITA, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 | Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Madiha – Joel Rosario – 122
2. Chismosa – Kyle Frey – 124
3. Stay And Scam – Mario Gutierrez – 122
4. Chancery Way – Antonio Fresu – 124
5. Rose Maddox – Flavien Prat – 124
6. Scary Fast Ride – Abdul Alsagoor – 120
7. All Dialed In – Tyler Baze – 122

Named for the multiple stakes winning daughter of D’Artagnan, who was owned by Susan Isaacs, the Irish O’Brien is part of the CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series, for eligible California-bred or sired runners.