Penwith Heads West For Santa Margarita Stakes

Time/Date - 16.30hrs local time/Saturday, March 19, 2016
Racecourse/Country - Santa Anita/USA
Surface/Distance - Dirt/1m 110y

Penwith travels to Santa Anita on the West Coast of the USA in search of a first G1 success in the Santa Margarita Stakes over an extended dirt mile on Saturday, March 19.

The five-year-old mare is unbeaten in two starts on dirt at Gulfstream Park, Florida, this year.

The daughter of Bernardini followed up a comfortable success in a mile allowance optional claimer on January 21 with an impressive three-length victory in the G2 Royal Delta Stakes over half a furlong further on February 13.

Penwith made just two appearances, both on dirt at Aqueduct, in a curtailed 2015 campaign, including when going down by a nose in the extended-mile non-graded Affectionately Stakes on the first day of that year. She was third over the same trip in the G2 Indiana Oaks on dirt in October, 2014.

Mike Smith takes the ride on Penwith for the first time and she faces six rivals, headed by dual G2 winner Taris and recent G2 Santa Maria Stakes scorer Tara's Tango.

Penwith's trainer Kiaran McLaughlin commented: "Penwith has trained beautifully this year, after a long time off, and has won both her starts.

"We felt that it was worth taking a shot at a G1 race and this is good timing for her. We feel it is a tough race but Penwith is doing well and we like our chances."