Seismic Beauty Rocks Santa Margarita for MyRacehorse

When Seismic Beauty roared into the stretch of the May 25 Santa Margarita Stakes (G2), the people lined up on the apron behind the winner's circle let out a collective cheer that, like the filly, threatened to never stop. These weren't bettors rooting home their choice. They were part of the 2,000-plus cavalcade of MyRacehorse owners, as proud of Seismic Beauty as if each individual were her sole owner. Seismic Beauty not only turned in a flawless performance in the race, scoring by five easy lengths, she behaved magnificently in the winner's circle. Hundreds of people poured in, prompting trainer Bob Baffert to stage manage two photos with Seismic Beauty. She and jockey Antonio Fresu came in for the first one, then she calmly took more turns out onto the track while the new people replaced those filing out. Seismic Beauty waltzed in for a second shot like a pro. The 1 1/8-mile Santa Margarita at Santa Anita marked Seismic Beauty's stakes debut. But her 10-length score in an April 18 one-mile allowance/optional claimer coupled with the enthusiastic backing of her MyRacehorse supporters made her the 8-5 second choice behind 4-5 Splendora, a Baffert trainee coming off a second in the April 19 Santa Maria Stakes (G2). The two Baffert 4-year-olds dominated the proceedings. Seismic Beauty grabbed the lead right after the start, with Splendora a couple of lengths behind and the other three well in arrears. That configuration barely changed throughout fractions of :23.05, :46.25, and 1:09.84, though Splendora tightened things up a bit into the second turn. "When she got to the lead, she was comfortable and was traveling good," Fresu said. "She's a strong type, you can see her physically—she is so big. She was just a step slow from the gate—she's so big—but once she got into a good rhythm, I was always comfortable all the way." Into the stretch, Seismic Beauty had enough in reserve to pull away from Splendora for that five-length margin and a time of 1:48.30. Splendora finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of Princess of Time, with Alpha Bella and Liberal Lady far back. "She's just getting better--it's nice to have a filly like that," Baffert said. "She's big and beautiful. That was serious racehorse time. She's ready for something big." MyRacehorse owns Seismic Beauty with Peter Leidel, the two of them buying her for $550,000 from consignor Glen Hill Farm at the 2022 Keeneland September yearling sale. "It was about as good as I'd hoped and expected," said Joe Moran, head of bloodstock and racing for MyRacehorse. "I really thought she could handle the distance, but you never know until they do it. She really relaxed under Antonio, and I think it helped that she didn't get constant pressure." As the many MyRacehorse owners left the winner's circle, one man came up to Baffert to thank him for Thirty Slews, winner of the 1992 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) and Baffert's first Breeders' Cup winner. "I made money on that horse," he told Baffert. "Oh my gosh—so did I," Baffert replied. Seismic Beauty, who gave Baffert his fifth Santa Margarita victory, has made $236,840 and has three wins, two seconds, and one third in six starts. The 2500 Determined Stud bred her in Maryland from the stakes-placed Medaglia d'Oro mare Knarsdale. Seismic Beauty is Knarsdale's first foal. Knarsdale is a half sister to stakes-placed American Lincoln and out of stakes-placed Secret File. Seismic Beauty is one of four 2025 black-type winners by Uncle Mo, who died last December at age 16 after an injury to his left foreleg. The others include Bishops Bay, winner of the Westchester Stakes (G3) and American Pharoah Overnight Stakes. Uncle Mo's earlier stakes winners include champion Nyquist, a successful sire himself. Champion 2-year-old male in 2010, the year he captured the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Uncle Mo stood at Coolmore's Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky., prior to his death.