Ria Antonia, a candidate for the April 5 Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I), blazed four furlongs March 14 in a bullet :46 3/5 over the Santa Anita Park main track for trainer Bob Baffert.
The drill, the second for last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) winner since she was transferred to Baffert at the end of February, was the fastest of 41 at the distance. The average time on the morning was :49.29.
Ria Antonia also worked a half mile for Baffert on March 8 in :47 flat.
The 3-year-old daughter of Rockport Harbor was previously in the barn of Jeremiah Englehart, but owner Ron Paolucci of Loooch Racing Stable made the decision to move Ria Antonia to the Hall of Famer Baffert in order to have her supervised locally as she prepared for the Santa Anita Oaks. Her BC Juvenile Fillies win, by disqualification after finishing a nose back of She's a Tiger, came at Santa Anita Nov. 2.
In her only start this season, the bay filly finished a tiring fourth in the Feb. 22 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (gr. III) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Co-owned by Christopher Dunn, she has won two of six lifetime starts for earnings of $1,164,140.
Ria Antonia
