NEWS
Black Mamba repeats in Beverly Hills Handicap
Posted: Sunday, June 28, 2009 7:54 PM
BLACK MAMBA (NZ) (left) AND GOMEZ NARROWLY BEAT CHARMING LEGACY (Ire)
Benoit & Associates photo
by Mike Curry
Black Mamba (NZ) closed with a sustained charge and surged past Charming Legacy (Ire) in the final strides to complete a last-to-first rally and score a repeat win in the $147,000 Beverly Hills Handicap (G2) on Sunday at Hollywood Park (video).
The six-year-old Black Minnaloushe mare won by a head and completed 1 1/4 miles in 1:59.72 on firm turf under Garrett Gomez, who improved to three wins in five starts aboard Black Mamba. Trainer John Sadler credited Gomez for a well-timed ride aboard Doubledown Stables’ Grade 1 winner.
“He picked her up and pushed her over,” Sadler said of Gomez. “This turf course has been a little speed favoring this year, and they weren’t coming back as much as I thought they would.”
Black Mamba joined Astra (2001-‘02), Flawlessly (1992-‘93), Swingtime (’77-‘78), and *La Zanzara (’74-‘75) as repeat winners of the Beverly Hills.
Sadler said the John C. Mabee Handicap (G1) on August 16 at Del Mar, a race she won last year, and the Beverly D. Stakes (G1) on August 8 at Arlington Park are options for Black Mamba, but he has an international race on his radar for later this season.
“She’s been a really good mare for us,” Sadler said. “We have all of her vaccinations ready for the Melbourne Cup (Aus-G1), and we’re really thinking about it.”
The 3,200-meter (15.91-furlong) Emirates Melbourne Cup is slated for November 3 at Flemington.
You Lift Me Up set a solid pace through a half-mile in :47.14 and six furlongs in 1:11.01. Charming Legacy stalked from third early and moved up on the outside on the backstretch to press the pace from second, while Gomez reserved Black Mamba at the back of the four-horse field.
Charming Legacy surged to the lead near the top of the stretch, dispatched You Lift Me Up, and opened a clear advantage. Black Mamba closed gamely on the outside and edged past in the closing strides to halt a five-race winless stretch and post her third career graded stakes win.
Runner-up Charming Legacy was two lengths clear of You Lift Me Up.
Black Mamba improved to five wins in 26 starts and boosted her bankroll to $808,851. She is out of the New Zealand classic-placed group stakes winner Sneetch, by Grosvenor.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
