Om N Joy rallies from last to win Santa Margarita Stakes

Aggie Ordonez’s quick turnaround call paid off at Santa Anita when Om N Joy, back on the main track just one week after a disappointing turf try, ran past the field from last to first to capture the Santa Margarita Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the California-bred filly settled several lengths behind the speed while Simply Joking and Seismic Beauty dueled through sharp early fractions. That front-end battle did the heavy lifting for Om N Joy, who was allowed to relax while the pace horses softened each other up. When the leaders began to feel the pressure in the stretch, Desormeaux asked for her run and Om N Joy responded instantly, sweeping past the tiring pair and drawing clear going away.

The final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:50.03, a strong return that gave Om N Joy her second graded stakes victory and restored the confidence that had been dented by her failed turf experiment a week earlier. The switch back to a more favorable setup proved decisive. Rather than forcing the issue, Ordonez and Desormeaux trusted the filly’s timing, patience and ability to finish when the race unfolded in front of her.

That is what made the Santa Margarita more than just another graded win. It showed how quickly a horse’s profile can change when placement, surface and pace scenario line up correctly. Om N Joy did not suddenly become a different filly in seven days. She found a better stage for the talent she had already shown, and she used it to make a clear statement in the California older female division.

For horseplayers, the race was a reminder that one bad effort on turf did not define Om N Joy. The Santa Margarita instead suggested a filly whose best work comes when she can settle early and deliver late, especially when a hot pace sets the table. For Ordonez, the result validated the decision to wheel her back quickly. For the division at Santa Anita, it added another legitimate contender to a race landscape that already demanded attention. Om N Joy did not just win back her reputation. She made the case that her ceiling in California may be higher than the last race had suggested.