Lady Claypoole (IRE)

Lady Claypoole was winless in her first eight starts in Europe and the United States before finally visiting the winner’s circle in her ninth start during her 4-year-old campaign in March 2024 at Santa Anita Park, where she rallied from off the pace to post a 1 ¼-length win in one-mile turf race.

She lost her next seven races but in the last start in the drought, she finished second by a nose in a promising effort Dec. 26, 2024. Lady Claypoole halted the winless stretch with a one-length win going 1 1/8 miles Jan. 25, 2025, at Santa Anita Park in her 5-year-old bow. The Starspangledbanner mare followed with a 1 ¼-length victory at the same course and distance Feb. 9.

Trainer Richard Baltas was encouraged enough by Lady Claypoole’s improvement that he tested her in a stakes race for the first time in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes March 15 at Santa Anita, and she stormed from off the pace with a sustained rally to win by 2 ½ lengths.