Thegirlinthatsong strikes winning note in La Canada
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Photo:
Benoit Photo
A Texas-bred daughter of My Golden Song, Thegirlinthatsong was well supported in
today’s Grade 2 La Canada Stakes but
was far from being the favorite in what was touted as a two horse race.
Tracking the early pace from second, Thegirlinthatsong let the leader wear
herself out on the front end before taking over and pulling away to a
commanding win in the stretch.
Sharp out of the gate, Jojo Warrior lost no time in establishing the lead. With no one to challenge her
early, the dual graded stakes winner spurted away from her rivals, going clear
by 4 lengths. Down the backstretch, Thegirlinthatsong led the pack giving chase
to Jojo Warrior, followed by Une Cherise and Lexie Lou down on the inside. The
opening quarter went up in :23.63, and the first half was posted in :47.13.
As the field entered the far turn, Thegirlinthatsong began
to move up on JoJo Warrior, drawing on even terms and taking over in early
stretch. With little resistance from the pacesetter, Thegirlinthatsong went
right on by her rival and drew off to a commanding 4 ¼ length victory, stopping
the clock in 1:43.84 for the 1 1/16 mile event.
“I thought Lexie Lou and Jojo Warrior would go to the lead
so I expected to put my horse right behind Jojo Warrior after the break. When
we broke, my horse was real fresh so when I saw that Jojo Warrior did go to the
lead, I just put us right behind and I had a beautiful trip,” said winning
rider Rafael Bejarano. “By the three-eighths pole I still felt I had a lot of
horse and when I let her go in the stretch she took off.”
Lexie Lou, who
was forced to take back early after finding herself in close quarters, plugged
away in the stretch and managed to steal the place from the tiring Jojo
Warrior. Corey Nakatani, who had the call aboard the reigning Queen’s Plate
winner thought his mount did well considering the circumstances. “Not bad for
her first time on dirt, not bad at all,” he stated. “I wanted her to come out
of there and put herself into position but when Jojo Warrior kind of crossed
over she got a little dirt in her face and started to jump a little. I lost our
position but for her first time on dirt, she showed her heart and ran a big
race; the farther the better with her.”
Longshots Une Cherise and Fleet of Gold ran fourth and fifth
respectively. Colonel Joan and Ramona’s Wildcat completed the order of finish.
Winner Thegirlinthatsong flipped the tables on third place finisher Jojo
Warrior and runner-up Lexie Lou. When “Song” and “Jojo” last met, the latter
came away with the G3 Torrey Pines win while the former had to settle for
third. When Lexie Lou and Thegirlinthatsong faced off in the G3 Autumn Miss,
Lexie Lou had her photo taken while “Song” finished 5th.
Sent off as the 13/2 third choice, Thegirlinthatsong paid
$15.00/$4.20/$2.60. Lexie Lou, the even money favorite, returned $2.80/$2.20,
and a show bet on 8/5 second choice Jojo Warrior was worth $2.60. The $1 exacta
paid $17.40, the $1 trifecta returned $45.40 and the $1 superfecta was worth
$348.10.
Winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and jockey Bejarano did
not necessarily see eye-to-eye on race tactics, but in the end things worked
out. “She’s been training well here and we were looking for a good effort from
her. I think Rafael (Bejarano) wanted to stay back a little more than what I
wanted him,” Hollendorfer explained. “I asked him to stay as close as he could
and be comfortable, so he did that, and that ended up working out well.”
By My Golden Song and out of the Dixieland Band mare Belle
of the Band, Thegirlinthatsong was offered in the Fasig-Tipton Texas 2012 Summer
Yearling Sale but did not meet her reserve. She was later purchased by Anjo
Racing, who campaigned the filly for most of her career, before being purchased
by Tim Russo, Peter R. Russo, Daniel J. Gatto and Jerry Hollendorfer prior to
her Torrey Pines start. She ran 3rd that day to earn herself graded
stakes placed status, improving on the fact that she was already a listed
stakes winner. Today’s victory was her first graded score and improved her
career record to 19: 5-4-4 for total purse earnings of $407,695.
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