How to bet the Buena Vista Stakes

A strong field of 10 fillies and mares will travel a mile on the Santa Anita turf course in Saturday’s $200,000 Buena Vista S. (G2). The affair features a handful of talented and accomplished runners that the race will go through. I am keying an up-and-coming lass who impressed me a whole lot in her West Coast debut, and she will likely go off at a decent number in a field with a lot of depth, as well.

#8 Charmaine’s Mia (3-1) defeated a high-quality cast with ease when bagging the Las Cienegas S. (G3) at six panels in her first outing for d’Amato. The Factor five-year-old earned a lifetime best 99 Brisnet Speed figure for her work, and if she duplicates that effort, then she will be tough to upend on Saturday beneath top pilot Flavien Prat. The mare will be forwardly placed on the stretch out in distance, perhaps even on the front end early on.

Grade 1 heroine #2 Mucho Unusual (7-2) has earned graded stakes tallies in three of her last four races for Yakteen, with each win coming on the Santa Anita surface. The five-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man sports a fine 9-5-1-3 mark on this oval, and she is a top-three must use while in career form.

#3 Warren’s Showtime (5-1) is another horse-for-the-course contender as she has won or placed in all seven local assignments to date. Chestnut daughter of Clubhouse Ride is ultra-consistent, and I liked her prep for this affair when a closing third while sprinting against stakes foes locally. Craig Lewis trainee will be rallying from off the pace under Juan Hernandez.

Richard Baltas’ #7 Going to Vegas (6-1) gets consideration due to her improvement since removing blinkers last campaign. Goldencents filly has placed in three straight graded tilts, topped by a runner-up effort in the American Oaks (G1) in her sophomore finale. The Kentucky-bred has a versatile running style, and she has also finished first or second in six of her seven lifetime tries at ‘The Great Race Place.'

#5 Red Lark (8-1), winner of the Del Mar Oaks (G1) three prior, began to peak in the second half of 2020 and is an obvious danger for Gallagher. Stout late runner might be better with more distance with which to work with, however, so I will limit her usage to the vertical exotics with Van Dyke riding.

Buena Vista Wagers

• $.50-cent Superfecta: 8 with 2,3,7 with 2,3,5,7 with all ($27)
• $.50cent Superfecta: 2,3,7 with 8 with 2,3,5,7 with all ($27)