Golden State Series California Distaf Handicap

© BENOIT PHOTOS

Ben and Sally Warren’s Warren’s Showtime stars in the California Distaff Stakes at Santa Anita

BY EMILY SHIELDS

Looking for a model of consistency? Look no further than Warren’s Showtime, who added the $100,500 California Distaf Handicap to her already impressive resume.

Te California-bred daughter of Clubhouse Ride—Warren’s Veneda, by Afrmative, has only been worse than third twice in 22 starts, and not since May 2020. With a record of eight wins, two seconds, and 10 thirds, Warren’s Showtime has courageously been adding to her earnings—now $775,431—while competing anywhere from graded company to Cal-bred events.

In the Oct. 16 California Distaf, Warren’s Showtime and jockey Juan Hernandez dropped back to last in the six-horse feld. Tey tracked the other runners down Santa Anita Park’s hillside turf course, with Anna Fantastic setting the pace and Sedamar chasing. Sweeping down the lane, Warren’s Showtime split rivals and rallied, getting up on the line by three-quarters of a length. Sedamar fnished second, Anna Fantastic third, and favored Bella Vita ran fourth.

Te fnal time of 1:13.76 for the distance of about 6 1⁄2 furlongs was well of the 1:10.73 track record, but Warren’s

Showtime has been writing her own legacy since her 2019 debut. Te Benjamin and Sally Warren homebred, who is trained by Craig Lewis, won the $100,351 Surfer Girl Stakes against open company as a juvenile, then added the $202,000 California Cup Oaks and the $106,000 China Doll Stakes early in her sophomore season. A win in the $150,500 Melair Stakes on the main track sent Warren’s Showtime into graded company; she fnished third in both the San Clemente Stakes (G2T) and the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) before winning her frst graded event, the $101,000 Autumn Miss Stakes (G3T). Warren’s Showtime was slow to fnd the winner’s circle in 2021, running second or third in four straight races before taking the $101,500 Wilshire Stakes (G3T) in June. She fnished third in the Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar despite being favored but rebounded efortlessly in the California Distaf. Te Warrens traveled from Las Vegas to Santa Anita for the race. Te win was so thrilling Sally Warren compared the mare’s consistency to that of the great Zenyatta. “(Ben) has had so many horses, but not one that has been so consistent as Showtime,” Sally said. “We were just saying, 19 out of 21 starts she’s hit the board and that’s unbelievable. It makes me think of Zenyatta, only in a diferent way—we hit the board, she won. But we are so happy.” Trainer Lewis agreed about the flly’s reliability, saying, “Te number one trait she has that separates her from most horses is her consistency. She’s a big, beautiful flly. She can run on any surface and any distance.” Lewis trained her dam, grade 1 winner Warren’s Veneda. A durable sort with 29 starts and earnings of $932,112, Warren’s Veneda went on to become 2020 California Broodmare of the Year, joining Variety Queen as the only other Cal-bred racing champion to add the broodmare title. Warren’s Veneda is the dam of two winners from three foals to race, including a juvenile full sister to Warren’s Showtime named Warren’s Showgirl, who was seventh in Owners Ben and Sally Warren, center left and right, join trainer Craig maiden company on the Cali-Lewis, right, to celebrate Warren’s Showtime’s Distaff victory fornia Distaf undercard.