NEWS
Megahertz could make final West Coast appearance in Yellow Ribbon
Posted: Thursday, September 29, 2005
Standing barely 15 hands and weighing less than 900 pounds, diminutive six-year-old mare Megahertz (GB) is proof that sometimes the size of the heart is more important than the size of the horse.
The California fan favorite makes up for her small stature with determination and a tremendous closing kick. An eight-time graded stakes winner, Megahertz has won 12 of 21 starts in California, failing to hit the board only twice, and has earned $1,961,594 during her career.
On Saturday, the chestnut daughter of Pivotal may make her final California start in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita Park. The 1 1/4-mile turf race for fillies and mares three years old and older is Megahertz's final prep race for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) at Belmont Park on October 29 in what trainer Bobby Frankel believes will be her final campaign.
"I think this will be her last season, but at this point I don't really know where she'll go [to begin a broodmare career]," said Frankel, who conditions Megahertz for owner Michael Bello.
Megahertz has posted three Grade 2 wins this season and finished a close second to Angara (GB) in the Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington Park on August 13 in her previous start. Jockey Alex Solis has ridden her in each of her four starts this year.
"Megahertz holds a very special place with me," Solis said. "She's a great horse with great character and we're going to miss her. She's a little thing, but she doesn't know that. What she lacks in size she makes up for in heart."
Dual Grade 1 winner Amorama (Fr) looms as one of the main contenders in the Yellow Ribbon. Amorama has raced exclusively in California since the end of 2003, when she was shipped from France to the barn of Julio Canani, but has never faced Megahertz.
The four-year-old Sri Pekan filly finished second to Intercontinental (GB) in the Palomar Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) on September 3 at Del Mar in her previous effort, which followed a win in the John C. Mabee Handicap (G1) on July 23.
The field, in post-position order with (sire), jockey, weight and trainer:
1. Halo Ola [ARG] (Southern Halo), Rene Douglas, 123, Luis Seglin;
2. Smokegetenyoureyes (Smokester), Javier Santiago, 123, Jack Van Berg;
3. Flip Flop [FR] (Zieten), Gary Stevens, 123, Ben Cecil;
4. Cold Cold Woman [GB] (Machiavellian), Kent Desormeaux, 123, Neil Drysdale;
5. Winendynme (Dynaformer), David Flores, 123, Doug O'Neill;
6. Megahertz [GB] (Pivotal [GB]), Alex Solis, 123, Bobby Frankel; and
7. Amorama [FR] (Sri Pekan), Martin Pedroza, 123, Julio Canani.
