Splendora showed her superiority once again in Saturday’s $400,000 Locust Grove S. (G2) at Churchill Downs, strolling to a 5 ¼-length win in the 1 1/16-mile contest for fillies and mares.
The 5-year-old daughter of Audible has been sensational this year, winning five of six starts, all graded stakes. Audible is the sire of 14 stakes horses in 2026, with progeny earnings of over $5.5 million.
Splendora stumbled slightly leaving the gate, but immediately recovered to take a narrow lead over Immersive going into the first turn. That pair ran 1-2 through six furlongs in 1:11.84, before Splendora began to pull away. She was turned loose at the top of the stretch and easily bounded clear to win in hand in 1:43.30 on a fast track.
“We’re very thankful for Mike Talla for allowing us to buy into her,” co-owner Randy Boyd said. “He’s a great friend, and we’re enjoying sharing this success with him. We have a couple of great horses now between Vahva and Seismic Beauty. Splendora will probably be joining them (as a broodmare) sometime in the near future. We hope now she can take us to the Breeders’ Cup.”
Winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), Splendora now has six graded stakes wins and has earned $1,843,700. The ultra-consistent mare is 10-4-0 in 16 lifetime starts and was bred in Maryland by The Elkstone Group LLC.
