Revera Upsets Heavily Favored Himika in Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar
Revera captured her first stakes victory with a determined performance in the $100,500 Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar on Sunday, defeating 1-5 favorite Himika by three-quarters of a length.
The 2-year-old daughter of Lexitonian, who finished second behind TDN Rising Star presented by Hagyard Himika in last month’s Anoakia Stakes, turned the tables on her rival with a gutsy stretch duel.
Trained by John Sadler and ridden by Antonio Fresu, Revera settled three-wide behind early pacesetter Bourbon and Ginger, who set fractions of :22.80 and :45.94 while being tracked by Himika.
The three fillies turned for home in unison before Bourbon and Ginger gave way, leaving Revera and Himika to battle head-to-head to the wire. Revera gradually edged clear in the final strides, completing the seven furlongs in 1:23.77.
“She showed tremendous heart today,” said Fresu after the race. “We had a perfect trip and when I asked her for more, she responded.”
Cosmic Heat, a 24-1 longshot, finished third, 4 1/4 lengths behind Himika.
The victory marks the second stakes winner for freshman sire Lexitonian, a son of Speightstown. Revera has now compiled a record of two wins and two second-place finishes from four career starts, with earnings of $142,274.
Revera began her career with a runner-up effort behind subsequent graded stakes winner Explora at Del Mar on August 17 before breaking her maiden by 5 1/2 lengths over the same track on September 6. In the Anoakia Stakes on October 19, she finished second, 4 1/4 lengths behind Himika.
The filly was purchased for $85,000 at the OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale after being RNA’d for $47,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She races for the partnership of Saints or Sinners, Titletown Racing Stables, U Racing Stables LLC, and multiple other owners.
Revera was bred in Kentucky by Steven and Brandi Nicholson. Her dam Decoder, a full-sister to Grade I winner Data Link, has a yearling colt by Vino Rosso and was bred to Charge It this year.
Himika, a $900,000 purchase at the OBS April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, suffered her first defeat for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Baoma Corp. The daughter of Curlin had previously earned TDN Rising Star status with her impressive Anoakia Stakes victory.
Heaven’s Bolt, Stuffy Mist, and Bourbon and Ginger completed the order of finish.
#4 REVERA ($11.80) defeated Himika in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes at @DelMarRacing. The juvenile Lexitonian filly picks up her first stakes win under jockey @Antonio1Fresu for trainer @sadlerracing. pic.twitter.com/wZ7zsG02zL
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing)
#4 REVERA ($11.80) defeated Himika in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes at November 17, 2025
