by Mike Curry
 
Black Mamba (NZ) came tantalizingly close to earning her first graded stakes win in two of her previous three starts, and on Sunday at Hollywood Park the Black Minnaloushe mare finally took care of business.

Double Down Stables’ Black Mamba rallied into the stretch with a sweeping bid under Garrett Gomez and methodically reeled in pacesetter Forest Melody and runner-up Solva (GB) to prevail by 1 1/4 lengths in the $150,000 Beverly Hills Handicap (G2).

“I told Garrett [Gomez] that she’s very steady and not hard to ride,” winning trainer John Sadler said. “She’s the kind of horse Garrett likes to ride because she drops the bit, you cover her up, and she’s not a hard puller, which is key for a long-distance race. She relaxes very well, and I think she’s probably going to be better even further. I’m going to try and run her maybe in the Beverly D. [Stakes (G1) on August 9].”

Black Mamba halted a seven-race winless stretch with the Beverly Hills score. During the losing skid, Black Mamba finished second or third in each of the seven races, including six times in graded stakes.

She finished second by a nose in the Santa Barbara Handicap (G2) on April 19 and second by a neck in the Buena Vista Handicap (G2) on February 18. Black Mamba also was beaten by less than a length during the streak in both the 2007 Yellow Ribbon Stakes (G1) and ’07 Palomar Handicap (G2).

Ridden by Gomez for the first time in the Beverly Hills, Black Mamba rediscovered her winning stride. She rated comfortably in seventh under Gomez, rallied into contention on the final turn in the 1 1/4-mile turf race, and seized command inside the final furlong.

Sent off as the 7-to-5 favorite, Black Mamba completed the distance in 2:01.25 on firm turf to improve to three wins in 19 starts and boost her earnings to $359,171.

Stakes winner Solva was 1 1/2 lengths clear of third-place finisher Green Lyons (Ire), who rallied from ninth to edge Forest Melody by a head.

Bred in New Zealand by Keltern Stud, Black Mamba is out of New Zealand classic-placed Group 3 winner Sneetch, by Grosvenor.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor