Teddy’s Promise wins Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita

Teddy’s Promise won the $250,000 Santa Monica Stakes by three lengths at Santa Anita on Saturday, a year after finishing fifth in the Grade II race.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, Teddy’s Promise ran seven furlongs in 1 minute 22.64 seconds on a dirt surface listed as wet-fast after earlier rain. The 5-year-old mare paid $5, $3.40 and $2.40 as the 3-2 favorite in the field of seven.

Sugarinthemorning returned $7 and $4.20, while Kindle was another half-length back in third and paid $3.40 to show.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s duo of Distracting and Pink Lollipops finished fourth and seventh, respectively, but his day wasn’t a total wash.

His horse, Fiftyshadesofhay, won the $100,000 Santa Ysabel Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 5 3/4 lengths.

Fiftyshadesofhay under Rafael Bejarano ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.89 on the dirt. She paid $14.40, $4.80 and $2.40 as the 6-1 fourth choice in the field of five.

Jockey Garrett Gomez swept the male and female races of the $300,000 California Breeders Champion Stakes.

Qiaona smoked the final furlong to win the race for 3-year-old fillies bred in California by a half-length, then Gomez roused 9-1 shot Tiz A Minister from last to win by 1 1/4 lengths while covering a mile in 1:36.56.

“It was an exact copy of what happened in the last race,” Gomez said of Tiz A Minister. “This little horse was running. I cranked him up, he settled in behind them and he traveled well.”