Several horses aim to challenge Breeders’ Cup winner Splendora in Saturday’s Grade 2D race at Lucas, scheduled for seven furlongs. Among the contenders are Peter Urton’s Comeback Me and the duo Molly McGee and Michael McCarthy’s Simply Joking, competing in a seven-horse lineup.
Splendora, conditioned by Bob Baffert, enters as the strong favorite, with four to five horses listed on the morning line. This event will mark Splendora’s first race since capturing the Breeders’ Cup Filly Sprint at Del Mar on November 1.
Molly McGee, partnered with rider Me and Vekoma, has not raced since last summer’s Saratoga meet. In a seven-furlong Grade 1 event on August 2, Molly McGee and Me vied for the lead in the early half-mile but faded towards the finish. According to Urton, this performance was influenced by mitigating factors.
“She had a significant cut and wound,” Urton explained. “However, there were no soft tissue injuries or other problems. She simply needed time to heal, so we gave her some time off to freshen up.”
Earlier in the season, Molly McGee won twice against older horses at Churchill Downs after breaking her maiden against older rivals in May and meeting the conditions to race in allowance company by June.
“We considered bringing her back for the La Brea Stakes on December 28, but she wasn’t quite ready,” Urton added. “She’s now in good health and progressing well—we’ll see how she does.”
Simply Joking, trained by McCarthy, finished third behind winner Usha in the La Brea and will return to the track. Also racing again is Formula Rossa, trained by Mark Glatt, who was the runner-up in that race and carries a solid record of five wins and two losses, making her the second favorite on the morning line.
The 4-year-old filly Simply Joking, sired by Practical Joke, drew the rail post in the La Brea and will start from that advantageous position again at Lucas. During the La Brea, Simply Joking pressed the pace but ultimately could not keep up with the top two contenders.
“In her last race, she got pulled inside and then shuffled back,” McCarthy noted. “We plan to adopt the same strategy this time, hoping Kazushi Kimura can navigate a favorable trip.”
Last year, Simply Joking captured the Silver Bullet Day Stakes over a mile and 70 yards for 3-year-old fillies at the Fairgrounds.
This year’s D. Wayne Lucas Stakes, previously called the Santa Monica Stakes, has been renamed to honor the late trainer D. Wayne Lucas, who passed away at age 89 last June. The race, set as the sixth event of the day, will begin at 3:05 p.m. The field, listed by post position, includes: Simply Joking with Kazushi Kimura (6-1), Lemon Muffin with Antonio Fres (30-1), Me with Molly McGee and Hector Berrios (5-1), Irina’s Charm with Armando Ayuso (20-1), Splendora with Juan Hernandez (4-5), No Bad Beat with Emisael Jaramillo (20-1), and Formula Rossa with Mike Smith (5-2).
This story was originally reported by Paulick Report on February 6, 2026, and first appeared in their News section.
Fan Take: This race is a crucial early-season test that could signal which fillies are poised to challenge top performers like Splendora throughout the year. For horse racing fans, it offers a glimpse into emerging talent and the evolving dynamics among some of the sport’s rising stars.
