Greatest Honour gets first graded winner at Santa Anita

Vanta stormed down the stretch of the Santa Anita Park turf course to win Sunday’s Surfer Girl S. (G3) and give First-Crop sire Greatest Honour his first graded stakes winner.

Vanta, who won the Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar a month ago, replicated that come-from-behind victory on Sunday. She was allowed to sit near the back of the field for most of the one-mile trip before picking up the pace with just under three furlongs to go. She moved off the rail turning for home, then blasted past Blockade in the final sixteenth to win by three-quarters of a length.

“I know her pretty well. [Trainer] Jeff [Mullins], reasonably, wants to try to get her all the way to the Breeders’ Cup,” said jockey Umberto Rispoli. “I just tried to do the minimum possible with her. Winning without overusing her, that was the key. I knew she was classy, and when I pushed the button, she would respond. She didn’t surprise me. I know how good she is.”

Vanta is perfect in three starts and has earned $168,000 for owners Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC.

The winner was bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Lakland Farm & Truly Thoroughbreds Inc.

Greatest Honour is the sire of four U. S.-based stakes horses, as well as Mexican graded winner Daydream Crown. Greatest Honour stood the 2026 season for $7,500 S&N.