Flashback: Blind Luck's Las Virgenes victory better with age

Challenging race dynamics and quality competition can bring even the most formidable horses to the brink of defeat. It’s a testament to the quality of a champion racehorse when they overcome all obstacles to prevail in the face of adversity.

When the classy filly Blind Luck made her sophomore debut in the 2010 Las Virgenes (G1) going a mile at Santa Anita Park, bettors widely expected the daughter of Pollard’s Vision to secure an easy win. As a 2-year-old, Blind Luck ranked among the best of her division, scoring victories in the Oak Leaf (G1) and Hollywood Starlet (G1) while placing in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and Del Mar Debutante (G1).

A late-running filly with a powerful stretch kick, Blind Luck had been particularly dominant in the Hollywood Starlet, crushing her rivals by seven lengths. With Rafael Bejarano in the saddle, Blind Luck left the gate in the Las Virgenes 1-5 against four rivals, because who could possibly beat her?

On paper, Blind Luck’s rivals were modest at the time. Crisp and Evening Jewel had finished first and second in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Ysabel (G3) one month prior, but neither could boast the experience and overall accomplishments of Blind Luck. Switch was stretching out in distance off a third-place finish in the seven-furlong Santa Ynez (G2). Summer Games brought only a narrow maiden win to the table.

But circumstances conspired to make the Las Virgenes — which renews Sunday at Santa Anita on the Kentucky Oaks trail — a stern test of Blind Luck’s talent and tenacity.

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The difficulties began when the gates opened. Blind Luck dropped back to last place, some seven lengths behind the leaders. It was a typical position for the Jerry Hollendorfer-trained filly, but up front, the pace was pedestrian. Switch was rolling along through modest fractions of :24.31, :48.41, and 1:12.59 while receiving only token pressure from Summer Games.

Such an unremarkable pace might have been tolerable over today’s deep dirt tracks, but the Las Virgenes fillies weren’t racing on dirt. Santa Anita had at the time its Pro-Ride synthetic surface installed, and it played more like turf. Just like in a turf race, the pace of the Las Virgenes accelerated sharply in the final quarter mile as the front-runners — still fresh and ready to roll — made their bids.

Suddenly, Blind Luck was in trouble. With just two furlongs remaining, she sat last, five lengths off the pace and struggling to reel in her rivals. Try as she might, Blind Luck could barely make a dent in her deficit, gaining only a length as front-running Switch blazed the penultimate furlong in :11.47.

But then Blind Luck revealed the true extent of her ability. Somehow, she dug deep and found another gear that most racehorses simply don’t possess.

In the final 220 yards, Blind Luck resiliently charged after the leaders. On the rail was Switch, still fighting on but gradually shortening stride. In between runners was Evening Jewel, surging strongly from third place, rolling up alongside Switch with a determined challenge. And there on the far outside was Blind Luck, gaining ground with every stride under a vigorous ride from Bejarano.

The crowd roared in excitement. Evening Jewel stuck her neck in front of Switch and lunged for the finish line. Blind Luck matched the move with a lunge of her own as they flashed across the finish line.

The race came down to a head-bobbing photo finish. And after a long wait, the judges posted Blind Luck as the winner. Somehow, the favorite had sprinted the final furlong in :11 1/5 to win by a desperate nose over Evening Jewel, with Switch just a half-length further back in third place.

Blind Luck’s narrow victory only grew in renown as time went on and the quality of her opposition became apparent. Evening Jewel went on to win four graded stakes races in 2010, including the Ashland (G1) and Del Mar Oaks (G1). Switch became one of the best sprinters of her generation, winning the La Brea (G1) and Santa Monica (G1) in addition to cracking the trifecta in three straight editions of the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Crisp likewise achieved Grade 1 success, upsetting the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) in her very next start.

And for good measure, Blind Luck herself became the champion 3-year-old filly of 2010 thanks to late-running triumphs in the Kentucky Oaks, Alabama Stakes (G1), Delaware Oaks (G2), and Fantasy Stakes (G2). In the Kentucky Oaks, Blind Luck once again unleashed a tremendous rally to win by a nose over — of course — Evening Jewel.

Handicappers would describe the 2010 Las Virgenes as a “key race.” And that might be an understatement.

J. Keeler Johnson is a writer, videographer, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite. You can follow him on Twitter at @J_Keelerman.