Explora heavily favored in Santa Ynez; six set for Busanda

Jan 01, 2026 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Explora wins the Oak Leaf at Santa Anita.

Explora wins the Oak Leaf at Santa Anita. (Photo by Benoit Photo)

The Road to the Kentucky Oaks goes coast-to-coast on Saturday, with the $150,000 Busanda S. at Aqueduct and the $100,000 Santa Ynez S. at Santa Anita.

The Busanda, previously held at 1 1/8 miles, has been shortened to a one-mile affair. But it retains its Oaks points structure of 20-10-6-4-2 to the top five finishers.

The Santa Ynez, a seven-furlong contest, offers points on a 10-5-3-2-1 format.

Both scoring races have attracted small fields. The Santa Ynez has only five entrants, led by odds-on favorite Explora, while six entered the Busanda.

You can watch and wager on all the Aqueduct and Santa Anita action at TwinSpires.com.

Busanda S.

Dazzling Dame is the most accomplished contender, sporting a 3-for-4 mark including two stakes wins. Based in Maryland with high-percentage trainer Brittany Russell, she captured last summer’s Sorority S. at Monmouth Park and the White Clay Creek S. in her latest at Delaware Park Oct. 11. In between, Dazzling Dame was fourth in the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs, her only try on the Oaks trail so far.

Shilling exits a fourth in the most recent Oaks scoring race at Aqueduct, the 1 1/8-mile Demoiselle (G2), and the Ken McPeek filly should enjoy cutting back in distance. Two starts ago, Shilling dominated the Tempted S. at this track and trip. Familiar foe Believable, runner-up in the Tempted and fifth in the Demoiselle, also tries again in this spot for Todd Pletcher.

Chad Brown sends out a promising stakes debutante in Britain, a $1.05 million two-year-old in training purchase for Amo Racing USA. The daughter of Quality Road and Grade 1-placed stakes vixen Toasting was a distant third to Shilling on debut, but she moved forward to win well next time out here.

Two Bits, by Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, comes off a Nov. 29 course-and-distance maiden score. Trained by Pletcher protégé Amelia Green, Two Bits may have improved since her fourth behind Dazzling Dame in the White Clay Creek.

Midnite Ginny has not raced since her 5 1/2-furlong maiden victory at Monmouth Park Sept. 14, and the Jose Sanchez pupil faces a class and distance test off the layoff.

The Busanda is carded as the seventh race at Aqueduct, slated for 3:10 p.m. ET.

Santa Ynez S.

Later at Santa Anita, the Santa Ynez goes off as the eighth race at 6:37 p.m. ET.

Explora brings the strongest form for seven-time Santa Ynez winner Bob Baffert. Most recently second as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1), she was also runner-up in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) before romping in Santa Anita’s Oak Leaf (G2).

Explora accordingly ranks as the 1-2 favorite on the morning line. The only slight question is that the daughter of Blame is reverting to one turn here. She was originally expected to stick to two turns in the Nov. 29 Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs, but she met with a minor hiccup and didn’t ship.

Baffert also has well-regarded Toaster, a sharp winner in her premiere at Los Alamitos, and Himika, who has traded decisions with John Sadler’s Revera in their sprint clashes.

Toaster, a $525,000 daughter of McKinzie, hails from the family of Horses of the Year Saint Liam (2005) and Gun Runner (2017). Considering that she is bred to route, it’s a very encouraging sign that Toaster won at first asking in a 6 1/2-furlong dash. Hall of Famer Mike Smith picks up the mount on Toaster, since Juan Hernandez remains aboard Explora.

Himika has shown distance limitations, taking more after her dam (mother), Motivated Seller, than her sire, Curlin. The $900,000 purchase impressed in her first two starts, including the Sorrento (G3), but faded in both the Del Mar Debutante and the 1 1/16-mile Oak Leaf.

Thriving back at six furlongs in the Anoakia S., Himika rolled by 4 1/4 lengths over Revera. The tables were turned, though, in the Nov. 16 Desi Arnaz S., where Revera wore her down.

Although the seven-furlong distance might have been one key factor, their respective post positions also made a difference. Revera was disadvantaged by drawing the rail in the Anoakia, and she enjoyed a better trip on the outside of Himika in the Desi Arnaz. For their rematch in the Santa Ynez, Revera is unfortunately again stuck on the rail.

La Wally, who has been competing in the division’s major races on this circuit, may benefit from the addition of blinkers here. Third in the Del Mar Debutante, the Mark Glatt trainee was second to Explora in the Oak Leaf and a subpar eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

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