Santa Anita Park · Saturday, October 17, 2026 · Race 8 of 9

Maiden Claiming

dirt, fastFive And One Half FurlongsPurse $16,0009 ranPost 2026-10-17 16:41:00Final time 1:05.02Pool $205,456

Good for all except 7

Result

FinPPHorseJockey / Trainerstart1/43/8stretchfinishMarginOddsFig
18Blame the Track
speed, responded
J Rosario11111—1.3056A
E1 106 · LP 121
21Melba Montgomery
advanced ins,2nd best
J J Hernandez875222½7.5040A
E1 88 · LP 116
33Godbless Her
up close2w,fade,hld3rd
E A Maldonado322338½1.9025A
E1 103 · LP 105
49Dancing Thru Fire
3deep,4w into str,wknd
E Payeras25444116.0037A
E1 99 · LP 101
55She Spendsalot
in range,3-2w,weakened
T J Pereira5335513¼19.607A
E1 100 · LP 98
67Palace Mischief
off slow, 3wide-inside
C Ortega9886615107.6013A
E1 87 · LP 95
74Stylishly Big
4-2wide, no menace
A Lezcano7998717½14.209A
E1 86 · LP 91
86Strong Proof
4-3wide turn, empty
C Herrera4467823¼103.404A
E1 99 · LP 83
92Long Legged Babs
inside, no impact
A L Bautista667993065.705A
E1 90 · LP 74

How the race unfolded (position at each call; hover a line to follow one runner)

123456789start1/43/8stretchfinish1Melba Montgomery3Godbless Her9Dancing Thru Fire5She Spendsalot7Palace Mischief4Stylishly Big6Strong Proof2Long Legged Babs8Blame the Track

Fractional times

Call 122.64
Call 246.29
Call 358.57
Final1:05.02

Payouts

BetWinning numbersPaidPool
win ($2)8$4.60—
place ($2)8$2.60—
show ($2)8$2.20—
exacta ($1)8-1$8.40$110,771
place ($2)1$4.40—
show ($2)1$3—
trifecta ($1)8-1-3$29.90$80,983
show ($2)3$3.20—
superfecta ($0.10)8-1-3-9$5.50$77,279
daily double ($2)9-8$8.60$37,234
Pick 3 ($1)4-9-8$8.90$41,273

Chart notes

BLAME THE TRACK sprinted clear and crossed over, confidently handled through the bend, given her cue in upper stretch and responded nicely by maintaining a comfortable lead to the wire. MELBA MONTGOMERY trailed inside rivals from off the rail then between leaving the backstretch, angled in and advanced from the fence through the turn, took aim at the leader in upper stretch, could not summon the needed late kick but finished gamely for second. GODBLESS HER raced up close to the outside of the pacesetter, asked two wide through the turn, faded in the drive but was able to hold third. DANCING THRU FIRE tracked three deep in the early going, spun four wide into the lane and weakened. SHE SPENDSALOT followed in range from off the rail, lost ground three then tow wide on the turn and weakened in the drive. PALACE MISCHIEF came away slow, angled in and trailed outside a rival then between up the backstretch, went three deep into the turn, moved into the two path then found the rail around the bend and was never a factor. STYLISHLY BIG traveled three then four deep at the back early, angled from the four path to the two path around the turn and failed to menace. STRONG PROOF tracked between rivals, entered the turn in the four path, moved into the three path while dropping back, tipped out into the lane and had little left for the stretch run. LONG LEGGED BABS settled inside then trailed with outer rival into the turn, saved ground to the stretch and could not make an impact.