Kopion towers over five rivals in Great Lady M. Stakes

A little more than six months ago, it looked like trainer Richard Mandella had an emerging star ready for a start in the Grade 1 La Brea for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita. While she finished seventh as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Tamara looked prime for a big rebound, cutting back to seven furlongs. However, Tamara would end up missing the La Brea with a fever, leaving the door open for a different Mandella-trained filly to play the barn’s lead.

Also cutting back, but from a fourth-place finish in the Santa Anita Oaks, Kopion landed her first Grade 1 victory in the La Brea, sizzling to 2 3/4-length win, as a 37-1 longshot. That victory was dismissed as a fluke in February, when Kopion romped over three others in the Santa Monica at Santa Anita. Then in May at Churchill Downs, Kopion displayed her best race, turning in a scintillating performance in the Derby City Distaff. Kopion dusted Ways and Means in that race, who returned with her own impressive win in the Bed o’ Roses at Saratoga.

Clearly the best female dirt sprinter, and arguably better than any of her male counterparts, Kopion continues on a path to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint with a start in Saturday’s Grade 2 Great Lady M. going 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos on Saturday.

While only natural to want to try his star filly going long again, Mandella isn’t giving into that temptation just yet. 

“How much better can she get? Well, I hope there's upside, but I don't know where you get it. She’s done a lot already. But it's nice to see her handle so smart and confident. We think she can get two turns, but I don't know if I want to fool with it until after the Breeders’ Cup. I don't want to break it if it ain't broke,” Mandella told Churchill Downs publicity following the Derby City Distaff. 

Mandella may eventually stretch her out but for now, Kopoin takes on five others in the Great Lady M., including fellow Grade 1 winner Sweet Azteca. Now trained by Richard Batlas, Sweet Azteca had all the makings of a star filly herself. After an allowance win in February of 2024, Sweet Azteca won the Grade 1 Beholder Mile, stamping herself a top contender in the division. One start later, she won this race and then knocked off the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar. To end her season, Sweet Azteca finished last of four in the Grade 3 Chillingworth at Santa Anita as the heavy favorite. That race was won by One Magic Philly, who’s in Saturday’s field and rates an upset chance for trainer Phil D’Amato off a solid third in the Skipat to start her season. 

Sweet Azteca will be coming off a near 10-month layoff in the Great Lady M. and that last time she came off a lengthy layoff, she finished third as the favorite in last year’s Grade 3 Las Flores when in the barn of Michael McCarthy. Chismosa beat her in that race and is entered in Saturday’s field. Sweet Azteca will get Juan Hernandez back aboard and Chismosa gets Kyle Frey aboard for trainer Rafael DeLeon.

McCarthy entered longshot Barbara T Saturday. Barbara T is 2 for 3 in her career and is clearly talented but is in extremely tough. Super Shine, who won the Desert Stormer last out, completes the field for D’Amato.

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