Laura's Light makes former Golden Gate connections proud

Trainer Jamey Thomas and owner Scott Herbertson were quite high on their 2-year-old filly Laura’s Light after a series of fast morning drills leading up to her career debut on November 2. With jockey Kyle Frey in the saddle, Laura’s Light ran to her workouts, easily defeating six rivals in the maiden special weight, 6-furlong event.

Shortly after the race, Laura’s Light was sold to Gary Barber, one of the top thoroughbred owners in North America. Now under the care of Southern California conditioner Peter Miller, Laura’s Light has run twice, with much to be excited about heading into the future.

In her first start for Barber and Miller, Laura’s Light faced 10 other rivals in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar on November 30. The aforementioned Grade 3 was not only her first start against winners but her first try routing and running on grass. Off at odds of 24-1, she set the pace before finishing second to East Coast shipper Alms. Royally bred Princess Caroline, a Chad Brown trainee and a half sibling to supermare Lady Eli, ran third behind Laura’s Light.

Laura’s Light proved her showing in the Jimmy Durante was no fluke, as she came back in last Sunday’s Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita and disposed of her competition, winning the $75,000 stake by a clear and easy 3-length margin. In both Southern California starts, Laura’s Light was ridden by the white-hot Abel Cedillo, who coincidentally rode at Golden Gate for a number of years before making a big splash on the Southern California circuit in the second half of 2019. Currently, Cedillo sits in second, only behind future Hall of Famer Joel Rosario, in the Santa Anita jockey standings.

Laura’s Light is by Constitution, a son of Tapit who is off to a terrific start as a stallion. His first crop raced in 2019, and Constitution already has a duo of talented and well-regarded runners on the Kentucky Derby trail: Independence Hall and Tiz the Law. Constitution is also the sire of Gouverneur Morris, a 9-length maiden winner at Saratoga and runner up in last year’s Grade I Claiborne Breeders Futurity at Keeneland. He will also join the Kentucky Derby trail in the next few months.