NEWS
Gotta Have Her reels in Royal Heroine win
Posted: Saturday, July 03, 2010 8:26 PM
GOTTA HAVE HER
Benoit & Associates photo
For video of the Royal Heroine Mile Stakes, click here.
by Ron Parker
Green Lantern Stables’ Gotta Have Her was last of six through a half-mile in the $150,000 Royal Heroine Mile Stakes (G2) before unleashing a steady stretch drive that propelled her to the winner’s circle at Hollywood Park on Saturday.
The six-year-old Royal Academy mare bobbled at the start under regular jockey Tyler Baze before settling in at the back of the field as Burg Berg set the pace through an opening quarter in :23.99 and a half-mile in :48.03 in the one-mile turf race.
“I got shut off real bad right out of the gate, and after that I just had to go out there and ride the rest of the race with confidence,” Baze said. “I know she’s going to give me what she has … whatever’s in her tank, she’s always going to give it.”
Entering the stretch, Baze had Gotta Have Her well positioned three wide and she charged through the stretch to post a half-length victory, covering the distance in 1:34.98 on firm turf.
Burg Berg gamely held on for second, a length in front of U R All That I Am.
Gotta Have Her was third in last year’s Royal Heroine, beaten by 1 ¾ lengths by Tuscan Evening (Ire). She entered off a sixth-place finish behind that foe in the Gamely Stakes (G1) at Hollywood on May 29, but Gotta Have Her did not have to contend with Tuscan Evening in the Royal Heroine.
“Her last race was a little bit my fault; bad weather and not much out of [her season debut],” trainer Jenine Sahadi said. “Today was crunch time. I felt good; I didn’t have any issues going into today.”
The Royal Heroine was the fifth stakes victory, including four graded wins, for Gotta Have Her, who increased her career earnings to $972,608 with nine wins from 27 career starts. Sahadi said Gotta Have Her could race next at Del Mar, possibly in the John C. Mabee Stakes (G1) on August 15.
“She ran second in the race last year and likes that turf course,” Sahadi said.
Bred in Kentucky by Nursery Place and Robert T. Manfuso, Gotta Have Her is out of the unraced Rahy mare Winnowing, a half sister to Grade 2 winner Lady Blessington (Fr). She was purchased by Green Lantern for $300,000 at the 2005 Keeneland September yearling sale.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer
