Visually surged to the front inside the final furlong and comfortably held off all comers to earn her first stakes win in Sunday’s $100,000 Senorita (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Santa Anita's on the hillside turf course.
The victory at 17-1 also provided trainer Librado Barocio with his first win in a graded stakes.
Without blinkers for the first time in six starts, Visually rated in midpack under Edwin Maldonado as the field descended the hill with Girl of My Dreams showing the way under Kyle Frey.
Visually started to carve into the lead gradually as the field neared the dirt crossing. When they straightened for the wire, the Enticed filly was travelling best of all on the outside and she kicked clear to score by one length. Rascality, who with Mike Smith aboard was pressing the early leader, finished second by a half-length over 5-2 favorite Laulne.
Girl of My Dreams was another head back in fourth.
Visually is owned by California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing, Fick Brothers Racing, Dario Bernardi, and George P. Monty. She completed about 6½ furlongs on firm turf in 1:12.91 and returned $36 for the victory.
“My filly, we decided to sit behind the speed which she did fine,” Maldonado said. “As soon as she relaxed, I knew I had a lot of horse turning for home. It was just a matter of getting her to the crossing right. She did the rest.”
Barocio, 59, had never had more than 45 starters in a single season until 2022, when he won 12 races from 82 starters. He has since expanded his stable.
Last year, Barocio won 24 races from 178 starters. The Senorita was his 11th win from 63 starters so far this year.
“I want to thank California Racing Partners, Ciaglia Racing, the Fick brothers. They gave me this opportunity and it was heaven sent,” Barocio said. “ (Southern California-based bloodstock agent and advisor) Larry Zap picked out the perfect horse and those guys are the perfect owners. They trust me and they wanted to go in this race and we went.
“This filly she just started training really well after her last race and I told the guys, ‘Hey, don’t be surprised if she wins today.’ And I’m so thankful to God that she did.”
Bred in Kentucky by ThoroughBred by Design LLC from the Candy Ride (ARG) mare Eye Candy Annie, Visually was purchased for $20,000 at last year’s OBS Spring Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, where she was presented by Coastal Equine. She broke her maiden going a mile on turf Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. In a pair of subsequent stakes starts, she was fourth down the hill in the Sweet Life (L) Feb. 11 and fifth in the one-mile China Doll (L) March 10.
“I think one of the things that really helped her was I took off her blinkers,” Barocio said. “I think she just relaxed. Before with the blinkers she couldn’t see anything, or she couldn’t see things she wanted to see. Here, Edwin said she was looking, but she knew where she was and she just took off. I am so thankful. What a great ride. “
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