On the upcoming Monday, the $100,000 Blue Norther Stakes, a one-mile turf race at Santa Anita, will attract a large group of promising 2-year-old fillies eager to claim their first major win.
Among the contenders, Latte Love stands out with the strongest track record, having secured second place in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar, which was also run over a mile on grass. Trained by Doug O’Neill and owned by S3L LLC, this Constitution filly was purchased for $125,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Before competing in the Jimmy Durante, Latte Love won a maiden turf mile at Santa Anita on October 3, leading wire-to-wire. Mirco DeMuro rode her in those races but will be replaced by Hector Berrios for the Blue Norther Stakes.
Instead of riding Latte Love, DeMuro will keep his role as the regular jockey for Richard Mandela’s Total Val. The Hall of Fame trainer has been a strong advocate for DeMuro since his arrival from overseas. Total Val struggled early, losing her first four races on dirt. However, she showed improvement when switched to turf for a one-mile race at Del Mar on November 29, moving up from 12th to finish last but with notable effort. Owned by Spendthrift Farm and sired by Into Mischief, Total Val sold for $450,000 at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
La Ville Lumiere, trained by Michael McCarthy, claimed third place in the Jimmy Durante, finishing just half a length behind Latte Love. A City of Light filly, she previously ran on dirt in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, finishing seventh. She was purchased for $475,000 earlier this year, and is campaigned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Savvy Racing LLC, and Kent T. Reimer. Jockey Flavien Prat will make his first ride on her.
Peanut Butter Bombe has advanced in class and distance after winning her debut gate-to-wire race of six and a half furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on October 24. This Collected filly, who sold for $40,000, is owned by Little Red Feather Racing and trained by Phil D’Amato. She will again be ridden by Umberto Rispoli.
Hypergamy, another Doug O’Neill trainee, finished sixth in the Jimmy Durante. Prior to that, this American Pharoah filly set a high Beyer Speed figure of 78 in her turf debut win at Santa Anita on November 9. A homebred for Glenn Saugenstein WC Racing, Hypergamy’s regular jockey is Antonio Fres.
Wild Like the West, trained by Richard Baltas, finished fifth in the Jimmy Durante behind the winner. This Into Mischief filly was purchased for $150,000 by Sagejay Racing LLC at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Here are the Blue Norther Stakes entries with jockeys and weights in post position order for Race 3 of 9, with an approximate post time of 1:00 PM PT:
1. Total Val—Mirco DeMuro—120 lbs
2. Hypergamy—Antonio Fres—120 lbs
3. Peanut Butter Bombe—Umberto Rispoli—118 lbs
4. City of Lights (La Ville Lumiere)—Flavien Prat—118 lbs
5. Wild Like the West—Juan Hernandez—120 lbs
6. Latte Love—Hector Berrios—120 lbs
First post is at 12 PM PT on Monday, with entry gates opening at 10 AM.
This report was originally published by Paulick Report on December 23, 2025.
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Fan Take: This lineup showcases some of the most talented young fillies with diverse pedigrees, signaling an exciting future for turf racing. The Blue Norther Stakes could highlight emerging stars and shape the next wave of elite competitors in the sport.
