After only a head separated Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro) and Moraz (Empire Maker) in a thrilling renewal of the GIII Santa Ysabel S. Mar. 7, the two sophomore fillies will meet again in Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks.
The streaking Baoma Corp homebred Beautiful Gift, a half-sister to the Chu Family's GIII Sunland Derby hero and Bridlewood Farm sire Chitu (Henny Hughes), graduated by a half-length at second asking in her previous trip to the post for Bob Baffert Oct. 23.
The rail-drawn Don Alberto homebred Moraz, an 11-length maiden winner second out in Arcadia Jan. 8, was third behind the sidelined Moonlight d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro) two starts back in the GIII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 6. Moraz's dam Malvinia (A.P. Indy), an $800,000 purchase at the 2013 FTKNOV sale, is a half-sister to the dam of Spendthrift stallion Temple City.
Godolphin homebred Javanica (Medaglia d'Oro), runner-up in four straight stakes tries, returns to her division after giving males all they could handle in the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate Feb. 13. She came up a neck short to favored Rombauer (Twirling Candy) that day, who returns in Saturday's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland. The half-sister to recent The Very One S. heroine Antoinette (Hard Spun) makes her first start on dirt in the Oaks.
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