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Nearly Perfect Becca Taylor Tries Great Lady M Stakes

Santa Anita leading trainer Phil D'Amato has Elm Drive, Ain't Easy in Los Al stakes.

Becca Taylor wins the Desert Stormer Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course

Becca Taylor wins the Desert Stormer Stakes at Los Alamitos Race Course

Benoit Photo

Plenty has happened since Becca Taylor last competed at Los Alamitos Race Course. Beginning with that maiden debut win in 2020, the now 4-year-old filly has won at Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields; on dirt, turf, and synthetic; and has three stakes victories.

For her second Los Alamitos appearance, Becca Taylor will attempt her second graded stakes, in the July 4 Great Lady M. Stakes (G2) at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares 3 and up. She will face six others, putting a near-perfect record on the line. Only a nose loss in the March 19 Irish O'Brien Stakes keeps Becca Taylor from being nine for nine.

"She's never beaten anybody by a whole bunch," said owner/breeder Nick Alexander. "She just seems to like to lay off and win by a little bit."

Steve Miyadi, who trains Becca Taylor, a California-bred daughter of deceased Old Topper, for Alexander, said that the filly has gotten bigger and stronger this year. Until her last race, the June 4 Desert Stormer Stakes (G3), Becca Taylor had competed either in Cal-bred and California-sired races or conditioned allowance races. Juan Hernandez will ride from post 3.

Ironically, Becca Taylor goes up against Elm Drive and Ain't Easy from the Phil D'Amato barn. Alexander uses both Miyadi and D'Amato as his trainers, and in a tribute to his previous trainer, the late Mike Mitchell, the owner runs his horses in Mitchell's silks. D'Amato was Mitchell's assistant for many years.

Like Becca Taylor, Elm Drive won in her racing debut at Los Alamitos, and she added the Sorrento Stakes (G2) last summer at Del Mar. Difficult trips led to two unplaced efforts later that fall. A 3-year-old daughter of Mohaymen  owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Elm Drive won the seven-furlong Angels Flight Stakes at Santa Anita May 8 in her comeback under jockey Ricardo Gonzalez, who rides her back in the Great Lady M from post 7.

"It's a tricky distance to win off the bench, and I'm glad we did it," D'Amato said after the Angels Flight. "I think she'll get a lot out of this race."

The Angels Flight was one of 63 wins by D'Amato during his spectacular Santa Anita meet, as he led all trainers, with 23 more than second-place Doug O'Neill. Ain't Easy is one of the few horses in D'Amato's barn who didn't contribute to that total.

After Ain't Easy won Santa Anita's Chandelier Stakes (G2) in her second lifetime start last fall as a 2-year-old, she took on heavy hitters at 3. In three starts this year, she finished third in the March 6 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) and April 9 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) before running unplaced in the May 6 Eight Belles presented by TwinSpires (G2) at Churchill Downs.

D'Amato trains Ain't Easy, a daughter of Into Mischief , for owners Old Bones Racing Stable, Michael Lombardi, and Joey Platts. The trainer has named Kyle Frey on Ain't Easy, who drew post 5.

Samurai Charm, third in the Desert Stormer, is 3-for-3 at Los Alamitos. The 5-year-old daughter of First Samurai  first won at the track in 2019, was off for nearly two years after that race, and added two more wins at Los Alamitos last year, including the Dark Mirage Stakes. She is five for eight overall, with two thirds.

Peter Miller trainer Samurai Charm for Downstream Racing, the racing stable of the mare's breeders, J. Kirk and Judy Robison. The Robisons also campaign 2021 champion male sprinter Jackie's Warrior , who is already three for three this year. Ramon Vazquez will be aboard Samurai Charm from post 4.

Lady Mystify (Edwin Maldonado, post 1), winner of the 2021 Remington Park Oaks (G3), and allowance winners Brandon'smylawyer (Mario Gutierrez, post 2), and Cover Version (Ryan Curatolo, post 6) round out the field.

The Great Lady M. goes as the ninth race on a special Fourth of July holiday card at Los Alamitos. Post time for the first race has been moved up to 1 p.m. PDT rather than Los Alamitos' normal 2 p.m. The Great Lady M. is scheduled to go off at 4:44 p.m. PDT.

Entries: Great Lady M S. (G2)

LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE, Monday, July 4, 2022, Race 9

  • Grade II
  • 6 1/2f
  • Dirt
  • $200,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 5:00 PM (local)
PPHorseJockeyWgtTrainerM/L
11Lady Mystify (KY)Edwin A. Maldonado121Peter Eurton3/1
22Brandon'smylawyer (KY)Mario Gutierrez114George Papaprodromou12/1
33Becca Taylor (CA)Juan J. Hernandez124Steven Miyadi7/5
44Samurai Charm (KY)Ramon A. Vazquez119Peter Miller12/1
55Ain't Easy (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateKyle Frey116Philip D'Amato7/2
66Cover Version (KY)Keeneland Sales GraduateRyan Curatolo119Reed Saldana30/1
77Elm Drive (KY)Ricardo Gonzalez116Philip D'Amato4/1