The 53rd working of the Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes for older fillies and mares is ready for Sunday, Jan. 11 at Santa Anita Park. The $100,000 dash held at about 6 ½ furlongs on the enduring downhill turf course drew a subject of 9 entrants. The lineup includes a distinct worldwide presence with runners bred in South Africa, Peru, France, Brazil, and the USA, including depth to an already intriguing subject. Under is a take a look at the sphere from the rail out:
Queen Maxima shall be making her 5-year-old debut following a stellar 4-year-old marketing campaign with 5 wins from seven begins, together with 4 stakes victories. Juan Hernandez, who has six profession wins aboard Queen Maxima, retains the mount for coach Jeff Mullins. South African-bred Egyptian Mau shall be making her fourth begin in North America recent off a pointy win on the allowance-optional claiming degree final day out going this identical distance on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita. Mike Smith, who has been aboard her final two outings, stays within the saddle for coach Neil Drysdale. Princesa Moche, bred in Peru, makes her fifth begin within the U.S. for coach Doug O’Neill. The 6-year-old Muwaary mare enters off back-to-back allowance-optional claiming wins underneath Mirco Demuro, who retains the mount. Spicybug exits an unplaced end within the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 30 and appears to safe her first stakes victory for coach Michael McCarthy. Ricardo Gonzalez shall be aboard for the fourth consecutive time. Brazilian-bred Omnipontet was imported to North America and joined the Phil D’Amato barn in 2024; she has made six begins on the Southern California circuit since and shall be making her third consecutive stakes look. Miss Lizzy, Doug O’Neill’s second of two entrants, is a profession 6-for-7 within the cash at this about 6 ½-furlong distance on the downhill turf at Santa Anita and can get a rider change to Emisael Jaramillo. Rosie Jeeks makes her first begin within the Neil Drysdale barn as his second of two entrants. Beforehand skilled by Chad Brown, Rosie Jeeks has not raced since a win within the Goldwood Stakes at Monmouth Park on June 21, 2025. Nay V Belle has earned 4 consecutive triple-digit Equibase Pace Figures going into this race and ranks second within the subject by late tempo with a 115.0 score. Umberto Rispoli shall be aboard for coach Mark Glatt. French-bred Antifona drew the far exterior publish within the nine-horse subject for her second begin after being claimed for $80,000 in August 2024 by coach Vladimir Cerin for homeowners Holly and David Wilson.
Evaluation and Predominant Contenders:
Queen Maxima leads the sphere in nearly each class, rating first in early, center, and late tempo scores in addition to common pace with a 104 Equibase Pace Determine. As a 3-year-old, Queen Maxima began her profession with two wins from 5 begins, however she actually blossomed in her 4-year-old marketing campaign. In 2025, she went 5-for-7 with 4 stakes wins. Queen Maxima began off the yr profitable an allowance-optional claimer at Santa Anita at this identical distance on the downhill turf over fellow Las Cienegas entrant Egyptian Mau, who subsequently ran second by a neck earlier than posting a win final day out. Queen Maxima adopted the January win with three straight stakes victories, together with the Grade 3 Monrovia Stakes Offered by Don Julio at Santa Anita and the Grade 3 Unbridled Sidney Stakes Offered by Cygames at Churchill Downs, by a mixed margin of 11 ¼ lengths for her three stakes scores. She returned dwelling to California for a bid within the one-mile Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar in July and completed sixth, crushed by 2 ¾ lengths, nevertheless she traditionally has not been profitable at route races. In August, regardless of ending sixth, she ran her greatest Equibase Pace Determine, a 114, within the Grade 3 Inexperienced Flash Handicap in opposition to older males going 5 furlongs on the turf. This was a formidable run contemplating she completed simply two lengths behind the winner after a troubled begin and the second-, fourth-, and eighth-place finishers all got here again to win their subsequent begin. Queen Maxima returned to profitable type final day out within the Senator Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares with a one-length victory, incomes a 109 pace determine within the five-furlong turf dash. This Bucchero mare checks all of the bins and may sit simply behind the tempo and pounce approaching the stretch. Regardless of her excessive favoritism, Queen Maxima poses as a stable single in exotics in addition to a key for trifecta wagers to create some extra worth within the race.
Egyptian Mau is an intriguing 6-year-old racemare after exhibiting enchancment in every of her three North American begins since making her stateside debut in January 2025. Earlier than coming to the U.S., the South African-bred completed behind Gimme a Nother in three consecutive group stakes races at Turffontein. That type has confirmed respectable, as Gimme a Nother additionally got here to the U.S. in 2025 and recorded three Grade 2 runner-up finishes earlier than profitable the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar in September. In her North American debut, Egyptian Mau completed third to Queen Maxima at odds of 31.40-1. She subsequent took a significant step ahead, leaping from a 90 Equibase Pace Determine to a 104 whereas closing from ninth on the third level of name to complete second by a neck going 5 furlongs after a gradual break. Final day out, she stretched again to the about 6 ½ furlongs down the Santa Anita hillside course and once more overcame a sluggish begin earlier than sweeping large and mowing down her rivals on the allowance-optional claiming degree. This mare figures to settle properly off the tempo and launch her run in tandem, or simply after, Queen Maxima. She has proved she will deal with the gap and overcome adversity, and she or he has steadily improved with every U.S. begin. Egyptian Mau poses as a harmful late risk and seems to be a respectable contender to finish the exacta.
With no clear pace presence, Peruvian bred Princesa Moche has a stable alternative to be on or close to the lead. Princesa Moche posted three consecutive wins at Hipodromo de Monterrico in Peru by a mixed margin of 10 lengths previous to transport to California for her U.S. debut in August. She completed seventh and sixth, respectively, in her first two begins in North America however has steadily improved since, profitable her final two begins with triple-digit Equibase Pace Figures. Her first win within the states got here on Oct. 26 on the 6 ½-furlong downhill turf course at Santa Anita, profitable by a head at odds of 17.30-1 with Mirco Demuro using for the primary time. Princesa Moche stretched out to a mile on the turf final day out at Del Mar in early November and improved to a 108 pace determine for her 1 ½-length victory underneath Demuro in an allowance-optional claiming race, once more at a hefty worth of 19.40-1. Demuro shall be again aboard, which is a major constructive contemplating the tandem is undefeated collectively. Princesa Moche is a confirmed winner at this distance and has a near-perfect state of affairs to steal this race on the entrance finish or at the very least ship a powerful in-the-money efficiency.
The remainder of the sphere (with greatest Equibase Pace Determine in an identical race): Spicybug (103), Omnipontet (107), Miss Lizzy (102), Rosie Jeeks (101), Nay V Belle (108), and Antifona (97).
Win Contenders in Choice Order:
