KRIKORIAN’S HOMEBRED BIG SWITCH DOMINATES $150,000 MELAIR STAKES, WINNING BY 4 ¼ LENGTHS WHILE GETTING 1 1/16 MILES IN 1:44.87

RACE IS PART OF LUCRATIVE CTBA-SPONSORED GOLDEN STATE SERIES

ARCADIA, Calif. (May 28, 2022)–George Krikorian’s homebred Big Switch was completely dominant as the odds-on favorite in Saturday’s $150,000 Melair Stakes at Santa Anita, winning by 4 ¼ lengths and providing leading rider Juan Hernandez with third stakes win and fourth overall tally on the day.  Trained by John Sadler, who coincidentally trained the race’s undefeated namesake, Big Switch got a mile and one sixteenth in 1:44.87 while notching her second stakes victory.

The Melair is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired 3-year-old fillies.

Attentive to the early pace set by It’s Simple, Big Switch easily moved on terms with the leader heading into the far turn and had a one length edge on Rose Maddox and Youteyourhonor a quarter mile out.  From there, Big Switch widened through the lane, winning like a filly with considerable upside.

A winner of the seven furlong Golden State Juvenile Fillies in her second start on Nov. 5 at Del Mar, Big Switch was most recently fifth versus open company in a 6 ½ furlong hillside turf allowance on Feb. 25.

Off at 3-5 among a field six sophomore fillies, Big Switch returned $3.40, $2.20 and $2.10.

By hot sire Mr. Big out of the Malibu Moon mare Two Faced Moon, Big Switch got her third win from five starts and with the winner’s share of $90,000, increased her earnings to $245,544.

Ridden by Kyle Frey, Rose Maddox shook loose of Youteyourhonor turning for home and finished some 10 ¼ lengths clear of her for the place.  Off at 5-2, “Rose” paid $3.00 and $2.20.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Youteyourhonor drifted out through the lane and finished 9 ½ lengths in front of Everlys Girl.  Off at 7-1, she paid $2.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.98, 47.17, 1:12.25 and 1:38.26.