Emisael Jaramillo Keeps Rolling with Santa María Victory Aboard Simply Joking
- Turf Diario
- hace 13 horas
- 2 Min. de lectura
Venezuelan rider continues hot streak aboard the daughter of Practical Joke
ARCADIA, California (Turf Diario Special)—It was a performance of absolute authority. Simply Joking turned Sunday’s G3 Santa Maria Stakes ($100,000) at Santa Anita Park into a one-horse show, dictating terms from start to finish under the experienced guidance of Emisael Jaramillo. Not only did she justify favoritism—she dismantled the opposition with a display that bodes well for what lies ahead.
From the break, the Michael McCarthy trainee made her intentions crystal clear. Breaking sharply, the daughter of Practical Joke outdueled Nafisa (Quality Road), her main rival on paper, for early command and then controlled the tempo with striking ease. Fractions of :23.25, :46.65, and 1:10.44 told the story of a leader traveling comfortably, while her rivals were already feeling the strain.
By the time they turned for home, the race was effectively over. At the slightest urging from Jaramillo, the filly accelerated with authority, opening up with a powerful stride to score by 6 3/4 lengths over Nafisa, who had to settle for second. A distant third went to Lemon Muffin (Collected). The final time of 1:42.38 for 1 1/16 miles underscored the efficiency and dominance of the effort.
“For me, it was a two-horse race,” Jaramillo said afterward. “I thought if Juan Hernandez went to the lead with Nafisa, I’d sit second. But my filly broke better, so we took control—and she was very comfortable the whole way.”
McCarthy was equally pleased: “She trained great. I told Emisael to get her away clean and try to avoid taking kickback, and he executed perfectly. I think it helped that we weren’t pressured early.”
The win marked the first graded stakes victory for Simply Joking since joining McCarthy’s barn, adding to previous stakes experience at Del Mar and in the GI Beholder Mile. Earlier in her career, under Whit Beckman, she captured the Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds, but her Santa Anita performance suggests she may now be reaching a new level.
With the G2 Santa Margarita Stakes on May 30 as her likely next target, her campaign continues to gain momentum. While her trainer believes her optimal range lies between seven furlongs and 1 1/16 miles, Saturday’s effort opens the door to longer distances.
For now, Simply Joking has rediscovered her best form, paid $3.60 to win, and made one thing abundantly clear: when allowed to dictate on speed and class, she is a formidable force.
