NEWS
Santa Teresita impressive in Santa Maria
Posted: Saturday, February 14, 2009 9:12 PM
SANTA TERESITA
Benoit & Associates photo
by Jeff Apel
Santa Teresita gained command approaching the quarter pole and earned a 2 1/2-length win in the $300,000 Santa Maria Handicap (G1) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
Santa Teresita stalked pacesetter Briecat from second through six furlongs in 1:11.56. Gaining command from two wide, Santa Teresita opened a 2 1/2-length lead in early stretch and remained clear under Joe Talamo.
“At the quarter pole I said, ‘Okay mama, let’s go,’ and she really gave it to me,” Talamo said. “She was striding out great and this was a great way to finish up the day.”
Briecat led Santa Teresita by 1 1/2 lengths through an opening quarter in :23.70 and by one length through a half-mile in :47.58. Santa Teresita was positioned away from the inside rail at the start, and closed within a half-length of Briecat approaching the turn.
Quickly gaining command, Santa Teresita easily won the 1 1/16-mile race in 1:41.88 on Santa Anita’s synthetic Pro-Ride surface at 13.40-to-1 odds.
Stakes winners Model and Marzelline (Ire) finished in a dead heat for second. English multiple Group 3 winner Visit (GB), the 3-to-2 favorite in a field of eight fillies and mares, finished sixth. Grade 1 winner Country Star acted up in the starting gate and was a late scratch, which delayed the start of the Santa Maria.
Eric Guillot trains Santa Teresita for Southern Equine Stable. The Lemon Drop Kid mare finished last of ten in her previous start in the Tuzla Handicap (G3) on January 25 at Santa Anita.
Santa Teresita earned her first stakes win in the 2008 Santa Lucia Handicap at Santa Anita. The five-year-old mare also earned consecutive runner-up finishes at Hollywood Park in the 2008 Milady (G2) and Hawthorne (G3) Handicaps. Santa Teresita also finished third in the 2008 Lady’s Secret Stakes (G1) at the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.
Santa Teresita posted her fourth win in 13 starts and increased her earnings to $393,430. Bred in Kentucky by Stonerside Stable and Westwind Farms, Santa Teresita is one of five winners from six starters out of the Gilded Time mare Sweet Gold.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Jeff Apel is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor
