Heavily favored Queen Maxima added a third graded stakes to her resume and continued her dominance of the downhill turf course at Santa Anita with a professional victory in the GIII Las Cienegas Stakes Sunday. The chestnut mare, now a winner of eight of 13 lifetime starts–and five of six at Santa Anita–broke alertly and took up a stalking position in second behind pacesetting Princesa Moche. The duo remained one-two until turning into the stretch and passing the dirt crossing when Queen Maxima surged ahead, ultimately beating that stubborn rival by a measured half-length on the wire.
“She's really good. She is really professional and we had a really good trip,” winning rider Juan Hernandez said. “We broke from the inside and she was really fast out of the gate. I was able to get a good position in second, just tracking [Princesa Moche] in front of me. She loves that, she runs on the lead, too, but when the other horse got the jump on me, I decided to start tracking her. I was really comfortable all the race, I felt under my knees I had a lot of horse. I crossed the dirt and I waited a little bit longer and she put in a good run. She is so smart and knows where the wire is at.”
Queen Maxima, winner of last year's Wishing Well Stakes in February, claimed her first graded victory down the hill course in the GIII Monrovia Stakes in April. She concluded a five-race win streak with a course-record setting victory in the GIII Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs May 2. The win streak was interrupted with sixth-place finishes when trying one mile in the Osunitas Stakes in July and again in the five-furlong GIII Green Flash Stakes in August, but she was back in the winner's circle with a one-length victory in the five-furlong Senator Ken Maddy Stakes last time out Oct. 31.
“Anybody who is involved in this game needs to experience a horse like this,” winning trainer Jeff Mullins said. “This is something else. I mean this is a once in a lifetime horse. Juan works her every time and he gives her what he thinks she needs and I let him do his thing.”
Michele Arthur of co-owner Dutch Girl Holdings, enthused of the winner, “She is pretty amazing. We are so happy to have her in our lives. We are very lucky.”
Pedigree Notes:
Queen Maxima is one of two graded winners for her sire Bucchero, who is also responsible for Eclipse finalist Book'em Danno.
#1 QUEEN MAXIMA 👑 ($2.80) and @JJHernandezS19 get the win in the $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes (G3) at @santaanitapark. The daughter of Bucchero is trained by @Jmullinsracing. pic.twitter.com/Tu6AD79Exc
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 11, 2026
Sunday, Santa Anita Park
LAS CIENEGAS S.-GIII, $102,000, Santa Anita, 1-11, 4yo/up, f/m, 6 1/2fT, 1:11.69, fm.
1–QUEEN MAXIMA, 124, m, 5, by Bucchero
1st Dam: Corfu Lady, by Corfu
2nd Dam: St Ballado's Lady, by Pleasantly Perfect
3rd Dam: St Ballado's Image, by Saint Ballado
($40,000 2yo '23 OBSOPN). O-Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC; B-Saul Rosas (FL); T-Jeff Mullins; J-Juan J. Hernandez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 13-8-2-0, $630,460. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Princesa Moche (Per), 122, m, 6, Muwaary (GB)–Queen Jezebel, by Motivator (GB). 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O-Rancho San Roberto, Inc.; B-Haras Los Azahares (PER); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $20,000.
3–Spicybug, 120, m, 6, Speightstown–Midnight Miley, by Midnight Lute. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Mike G. Rutherford; B-Sandra Sexton & Silver Fern Farm (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $12,000.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 16.50, 11.30.
Also Ran: Egyptian Mau (Saf), Nay V Belle, Rosie Jeeks, Omnipontet (Brz), Miss Lizzy, Antifona (Fr).
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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