Adare Manor Impressive in G2 Santa Maria Victory

Adare Manor (4f Uncle Mo x Brooklynsway, by Giant Gizmo) was back to her stakes winning ways on Saturday with a romp in the Grade II Santa Maria Stakes.

Coming into the race off an Allowance victory, Adare Manor broke even with the rest of the field but that was the only time she wouldn’t have her head in front. She set the pace up front with former rival Big Switch pressuring her throughout the early part of the 1 1/16 mile race. But when given the cue to get serious with just over a quarter left, she had plenty left to leave that one behind.

Given a few taps in the final furlong, she built her lead to 4 ¾ lengths as she crossed the wire for her fourth career victory.

“She’s a big mare and what a beautiful stride she has, she just eats up the ground,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “It’s nice to see her train well and perform like that. Juan has really blossomed into such a good rider. He knows these horses well and he rides them with confidence.”

The winner of last year’s Grade III Las Virgenes Stakes, Adare Manor is the earner of over $500,000 with eight top three finishes in 10 starts. She was purchased by Donato Lanni on behalf of Michael Lund Peterson for $375,000 from Julie Davies at the OBS June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in 2021.

Bred by Town and Country Horse Farms and Gary Broad, Adare Manor is the first foal out of Grade III winner Brooklynsway, who is a three-quarter sister to stakes placed Giant Teddy. The mare returned to Uncle Mo last year and foaled a colt on March 24, 2023 for Town and Country.

Uncle Mo’s eight stakes winners and four graded stakes winners in 2023 are both second best among all North American stallions with the group led by Grade I winner A Mo Reay.