Adelphi's undefeated filly - Gratefully, will put that perfect record to the test this Saturday at Santa Anita, when she steps up into stakes company for the first time in The Wishing Well...
Article courtesy of Santa Anita
EUROPEAN IMPORT SARATOGA SPECIAL MAKES U.S. DEBUT AGAINST 8 RIVALS IN WISHING WELL STAKES FOR OLDER FILLIES AND MARES GOING 6 FURLONGS ON TURF SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA
ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 16, 2026)—Irish-bred import Saratoga Special, purchased by co-owner Abbondanza Racing for $451,338 in December at Tattersalls in Europe, makes her U.S. debut Saturday in the $100,000 Wishing Well Stakes for older fillies and mares going six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita. The Wishing Well is restricted to horses who have not won a graded stakes since Aug. 1, 2025.
Trained by Richard Baltas, Saratoga Special won twice in 11 starts in Ireland before selling at Tattersalls. She is co-owned by Abbondanza Racing and TCC Stables. A 4-year-old filly by Mehmas, Saratoga Special has worked five times on Santa Anita’s synthetic training track since Jan. 16 for her U.S. debut. On Saturday, Saratoga Special signaled her readiness with a four-furlong drill in quick 46.60. She will have jockey Hector Berrios aboard.
Making her stakes debut is unbeaten 4-year-old filly Gratefully. Trained by Robert Falcone Jr., Gratefully improved to 4-for-4 on Jan. 8 at Santa Anita when dominating a second-level allowance going six furlongs on turf. Her previous three wins all came last year in New York. By Laoban, Gratefully is owned by Adelphi Racing Club, Shelly Hume and Russell Hume. She’ll be ridden by Florent Geroux.
Egyptian Mau gets class relief for Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale. In the GIII Las Cienegas on the hillside turf course Jan. 11, Egyptian Mau returned from a three-month layoff and finished fourth, beaten three lengths by top turf mare Queen Maxima. The runner-up that day, Princesa Moche, came back to win the GIII Megahertz on Jan. 30.
Bred in South Africa, Egyptian Mau is a 6-year-old mare by the War Front Stallion Fire Away. She is owned by Team Valor International. Egyptian Mau will have Santa Anita’s leading rider Juan Hernandez aboard for the first time.
Kicking off her 4-year-old season for trainer Phil D’Amato is Grade III winner Jungle Peace. An Irish-bred daughter of Bungle Inthejungle, Jungle Peace hasn’t started since finishing off the board in the Senator Ken Maddy going five furlongs on turf Oct. 31 at Del Mar. Last April at Santa Anita, Jungle Peace won the GIII Senorita sprinting on the hillside turf course. She is owned by CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Jerry McClanahan, Michael Nentwig and Jeremy Peskoff. Jockey Antonio Fresu has the call on Jungle Peace.
__THE WISHING WELL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER __
Race 7 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT
- Antifona—Tiago Pereira—124
- Amorita—Mirco Demuro—120
- Imaboutago—Armando Ayuso—122
- Saratoga Special—Hector Berrios—124
- Miss Lizzy—Emisael Jaramillo—124
- Gratefully—Florent Geroux—122
- Nay V Belle—Ricky Gonzalez—122
- Egyptian Mau—Juan Hernandez—124
- Jungle Peace—Antonio Fresu—124
First post Saturday is 12:30 p.m. PT.
