Last winter proved challenging for Super Corredora, last year’s top 2-year-old filly, prompting her trainer, John Sadler, to send her to a farm in Kentucky for a three-month break starting in March to recuperate. The daughter of Gun Runner resumed training in July at Del Mar, and Sadler is encouraged by her current condition.
“We’re genuinely thrilled to have her back,” Sadler remarked on Saturday morning. “She had a rough winter, missing a couple of training sessions, among other issues. What stands out now is her renewed mental sharpness—she seems much happier after some time away from the routine. She’s training with great energy. Now we just need to prove it on the track.”
Super Corredora is set to return this Sunday in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes, a race that offers a direct berth into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) scheduled for October 31 at Keeneland. She is listed at 10-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Joel Rosario for the first time.
favored for the 1 1/16-mile Zenyatta Stakes at 2-1 is Om N Joy, who is coming back to the distaff division after competing against males in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on August 22 at Del Mar. In that 1¼-mile race, Om N Joy rallied from near the back of the 11-horse field to finish a respectable fourth behind winner Knightsbridge.
“No one was beating the winner that day,” said Om N Joy’s trainer, Aggie Ordonez. “Everyone was battling for second, and we almost got it. She ran a very respectable race against top-notch competition.”
This spring, Om N Joy secured her biggest career victory in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita, capitalizing on a fast pace. She then narrowly missed winning by just half a length, finishing second in the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch over 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar. Although Ordonez prefers longer distances for Om N Joy, she believes the reduction from 10 furlongs in the Pacific Classic to 1 1/16 miles on Sunday won’t pose a significant problem.
“People seem to forget she’s won at 6½ and 7 furlongs while setting the pace,” Ordonez said. “She tracked a fast pace of :44 seconds. While I favor her running longer distances, especially a mile and a quarter, she can stay close early and has plenty of speed and a strong finishing kick.”
Ordonez added, “If she delivers her best effort, the competition will be in serious trouble. I respect the field, and if Majestic Oops also runs well, it’s going to be an exciting race.”
Majestic Oops, trained by Phil D’Amato, is the third favorite at 7-2 on the morning line. In her latest outing in the Clement L. Hirsch, the 6-year-old mare by Majestic Harbor encountered significant traffic problems but still managed to finish just a length behind the leaders with Joel Rosario aboard. For the Zenyatta, however, Umberto Rispoli will ride Majestic Oops, as Rosario takes the reins on Super Corredora.
D’Amato noted, “The official results don’t tell the full story of the trouble she faced. From about the five-eighths to the quarter pole, she was checked six or seven times. Every time Joel tried to move, an unlikely challenger ran right alongside. She never got a clean trip until the quarter pole, then she finished nicely. If she’d had a bit more space earlier, she could have won or been right there. Hopefully, a clearer trip this time will give us a shot at victory.”
Also in the field is Magnificat, trained by Richard Mandella, listed at 4-1. Known for her sprinting success, Magnificat recently stretched out to a one-mile distance in the restricted Tranquility Lake Stakes at Del Mar and won by 2¼ lengths despite stumbling badly at the start.
“She performed really well there, and we’re hoping for another strong effort,” Mandella said.
Just last Saturday, the 4-year-old filly by Omaha Beach posted a swift four-furlong workout in 46.10 seconds.
“That was a bit faster than I was aiming for, but when they work that well, it’s better than not meeting expectations,” Mandella remarked.
Magnificat, who was ridden by Rosario in the Tranquility Lake, will have Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith aboard for the first time in the Zenyatta Stakes.
This story originally appeared in the Paulick Report on September 26, 2026, in the News section. You can add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Fan Take: This update on Super Corredora’s comeback, along with insights into top contenders like Om N Joy and Majestic Oops, builds excitement for the Zenyatta Stakes—the key prep for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Fans should watch closely, as these matchups could signal who will dominate the female division this fall and shape the future stars of the sport.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
