6 stakes next week include GII Lukas, GIII Lewis, Las Virgenes

It’s a big weekend of racing ahead at Santa Anita Park. This upcoming Saturday and Sunday a total of six stakes will be contested led by the GII D. Wayne Lukas, GIII Robert B. Lewis and Las Virgenes. Rounding out next week’s stakes slate are the GIII Thunder Road, Sweet Life and Clockers’ Corner.

The D. Wayne Lukas Stakes, formerly known as the Santa Monica, is for older fillies and mares going seven furlongs. It will be run on Saturday along with the Lewis for the 3-year-olds at one mile, Thunder Road for older horses at one mile on turf and the Sweet Life for 3-year-old fillies at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course. The Las Virgenes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile and Clockers’ Corner for older horses on the hillside turf course go on Sunday.

The D. Wayne Lukas Stakes was renamed this year in honor of the legendary trainer who died in June at the age of 89. Leading the nominations are Splendora and Hope Road, both trained by Bob Baffert. Splendora most recently won the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Nov. 1 at Del Mar. Hope Road was favored in the Filly & Mare Sprint and finished third. She came right back in the GIII Bayakoa going a mile and won by 6 ½ lengths on Nov. 30 at Del Mar.

Also nominated to the Lukas are the top three finishers from the GI La Brea on opening day—Usha, Formula Rossa and Simply Joking.

Among those expected for the Lewis are GI American Pharoah winner Intrepido for trainer Jeff Mullins plus promising maiden winners Robusta, trained by Doug O’Neill; and Secured Freedom, who is trained by Tim Yakteen. Baffert’s Desert Gate and Plutarch are also among the nominees.

The Las Virgenes Stakes on Sunday is expected to feature the return of last year’s champion 2-year-old filly, Super Corredora. Also among the nominees are Meaning, who finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last out for trainer Michael McCarthy.

Next Sunday, there will be an early first post of 2 p.m.