Musical Rhapsody looms large in Saturday’s $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes
At 11h22, on May 9, 2024 • By Santa Anita
Out of the shadow of streaking Linda’s Gift, Musical Rhapsody could be poised for a stakes breakthrough in Saturday’s $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 ½ miles on turf.
Trained by Phil D’Amato, Musical Rhapsody had finished behind Linda’s Gift in three-straight turf stakes at extended distances, which includes two runner-up finishes. But most recently on April 4, she dropped into a 1 ¼-mile first-level allowance on turf and scored comfortably by 1 ½ lengths.
Musical Rhapsody previously finished fifth in the 1 ½-mile GIII Santa Ana Feb. 24, which was won by Linda’s Gift, and was second behind Linda’s Gift in both the 1 ½-mile Astra here Jan. 21 and GIII Red Carpet at 1 3/8-miles Nov. 23 at Del Mar.
Mike Smith rode Musical Rhapsody in all four previous starts and the Hall of Famer retains the mount Saturday.
