Los Al: Chismosa, Elm Drive lead nominees for Great Lady M

Chismosa and Elm Drive, who finished second and third behind Bob Baffert-trained Eda in the Great Lady M Stakes in 2023, are among 20 nominees to Saturday’s renewal of the Grade 2, $200,000 race for fillies and mares.

At 6 1/2 furlongs, the Great Lady M will be run for the 11th time at Los Alamitos on the next-to-last day of the current meet.

Click here for Los Alamitos entries and results.

Owned by breeder Jaime Renella and trained by Rafael DeLeon, Chismosa is a 4-year-old Clubhouse Ride filly who was beaten by a neck when she was a 19-1 long shot a year ago. A winner in 5 of 18 starts with earnings of $501,750, the California-bred enters the Great Lady M off a win, rallying to capture the Desert Stormer on June 2 at Santa Anita.

Owned by Little Red Feather Racing and trained by Phil D’Amato, Elm Drive has been third in the Great Lady M in consecutive years. She was defeated by a half-length in 2023 after finishing 3 1/2 lengths behind winner Becca Taylor in 2022.

A 5-year-old Mohaymen mare, Elm Drive is 5-for-18 with earnings of $575,745.

D’Amato also nominated Connie Swingle, Sun of Hill and Super Shine to Saturday’s feature.

Baffert, who has won the Great Lady M five times since 2015, nominated Richi. The Chile-bred filly who was foaled in August 2020 finished second in the Desert Stormer in her U.S. debut. The daughter of Practical Joke has won 6 of 10 and has been worse than second only once.

Besides Eda, Baffert also scored in the last 10 years with Fantastic Style in 2015, Marley’s Freedom in 2018 and 2019 and Gamine in 2021.

The other nominees are Anywho, Big Celebration, Court Snort, Daddysruby, Fast Giselle, Fayette Fox, Getthemoney, Irish Wahine, Olivia Twist, Report, Sweet Azteca, Three Witches, Tom’s Regret and Yuki.

Entries for the Great Lady M will be taken Wednesday.