Andina's Win Raises Expectations

Trainer Ben Cecil and owner Arnold Zetcher came away enthused and with raised expectations for 4-year-old filly Andina after Saturday’s 56^th Osunitas Stakes. The Irish-bred daughter of Singspiel held off Wild Mia by a head in the 1 1/16-mile turf race, her fourth factory and 12^th in-the-money finish in 15 career starts.

“We figured out she doesn’t want to go a mile and a quarter (sixth in the April 16 Grade II Santa Barbara Handicap),” Cecil said. “But at this level she’s very tough. Now we need to get her a win in a graded stakes. We’re looking at the Mabee (Grade II, $250,000 John C. Mabee, Sunday, August 14) and the Palomar at the end of the meet.” The Grade II Palomar Handicap is set for Labor Day, Monday, September 5, and is 1 1/16 miles on the turf, a sixteenth shorter than the Mabee.

“We bought her in Europe as a two-year-old and she has been an amazingly consistent filly,”  Zetcher noted. “The way she held on here and wouldn’t let those other fillies go by her…what a race she ran today.”