Warren’s Showtime’s Wilshire

BY EMILY SHIELDS

There is no sure thing in racing, but Warren’s Showtime’s turning in a gutsy performance is nearly a sure thing.

Te 4-year-old California-bred daughter of Clubhouse Ride—Warren’s Veneda, by Afrmative, won her second graded stakes race and sixth stakes overall when she scored in the $101,500 Wilshire Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita June 20. She has been top three in 18 of 20 starts and remains as honest and consistent as racehorses come. Some of her best eforts include consecutive scores in the California Cup Oaks and China Doll Stakes, a grade 3 score in the Autumn Miss Stakes, and a grade 1-placing in the Del Mar Oaks last year.

Entered into the Wilshire Stakes of of six consecutive placings, Warren’s Showtime, a homebred who runs for Benjamin and Sally Warren, was in the midst of the worst losing streak of her career. But she was knocking heads with some of the best of the division and narrowly lost the Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) and Royal Heroine Stakes (G2T). She sought class relief in the state-bred Fran’s Valentine Stakes in May but ran into the quick, three-time stakes-winning flly Leggs Galore.

Under jockey Juan Hernandez, Warren’s Showtime was back to her best in the Wilshire, sitting second last early and launching a furious rally to draw away strides before the wire. She led a California-bred exacta in the one-mile Wilshire, as Leggs Galore fnished second in the eight-horse feld. Tey were two of the three top choices in a group that included Chilean group 1 winner Brooke and Irish group 3 winner Stela Star.

Warren’s Showtime is the pride of California sire Clubhouse Ride, who stands at Legacy Ranch in Clements. Te son of Candy Ride— Seeking Results, by Seeking the Gold, has also sired grade 2 winner Brickyard Ride, stakes winner Club Aspen, and grade 2-placed Margot’s Boy in a young career that has seen 42 winners from 60 starters to date. Warren’s Showtime remains his highest earner.

Training Warren’s Showtime is all the

© BENOIT PHOTOS

Cal-bred Warren’s Showtime cashes in, takes the grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at Santa Anita sweeter as Lewis also trained both her sire and dam, California-bred Warren’s Veneda. Named the state’s champion older female of 2015 and 2020 Broodmare of the Year and also a Benjamin Warren homebred, Warren’s Veneda won two graded stakes, including the Santa Margarita Stakes (G1). Warren’s Showtime is her frst foal, but the mare also has a 3-year-old gelding named Warrens Candy Man, who has placed four times, and a juvenile full sister to Warren’s Showtime named Warren’s Showgirl, who has been training steadily at Santa Anita. “She looks like a million dollars, and, by the way, she’s close to getting to that point,” Lewis said of Warren’s Showtime. Indeed, Warren’s Showtime has earned $697,431 and does not appear to be slowing down. Warren’s Veneda just missed that mark at $932,112 earned in her career. Perhaps her daughter Trainer Craig Lewis, front row right, heads the winner’s circle will be able to surpass that ceremony for Warren’s Showtime’s Wilshire Stakes victory milestone this year.