Always a Princess Upsets Blind Luck

Photo: Ed Van Meter / Eclipse Sportswire

Blind Luck probably will have her moment Monday when she is expected to be named champion three-year-old filly at the Eclipse Awards. On Sunday, however, the spotlight belonged to Always a Princess.

Arnold Zetcher’s Always a Princess opened a huge lead on Blind Luck entering the stretch and held plenty left in reserve to hold off the 2010 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner to take the $150,000 El Encino Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park.

Making her eighth career start, Always a Princess readily engaged Champagne d’Oro in a speed duel on the outside as the duo spurted away from three other four-year-old fillies. Meanwhile, Blind Luck, making her season debut, raced more than nine lengths off the pace in last after six furlongs in 1:08.72.

Entering the stretch, Always a Princess found another gear under Rafael Bejarano while multiple Grade 1 winner Champagne d’Oro flattened out.

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