Leucothea serves notice with impressive win in Santa Anita's Anoakia

Leucothea shot to the front and rolled home an impressive open-length winner of the $75,000 Anoakia Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday. It marked the first stakes win for Leucothea, who two weeks ago bobbled at the start of the Chandelier Stakes (G1) and dropped rider Norberto Arroyo Jr.

This time with Abel Cedillo in the irons, Leucothea broke alertly and carved sharp opening fractions of 21.87 and :44.81 with Buyer's Remorse and Pure Xena chasing a few lengths back. Shedaresthedevil, the odds-on favorite, broke slowly and was dead-last early before steadily making up ground down the backstretch. 

Leucothea increased her lead on the turn and continued to widen at the top of the stretch without being asked. Cedillo then gave the cue and Leucothea lengthened stride to come home the easiest of winners. Track announcer Frank Mirhamadi called it an eight-length victory. Shedaresthedevil was a distant second and was followed by Eclair. 

Leucothea completed six furlongs in a good time of 1:10.81 and paid $6.20 as the second-choice in the wagering. 

“We weren’t worried about her leaving the gate today," said Ruben Alvarado, assistant to trainer Peter Miller. "The next day, she seemed fine and she walked for a few days after that and everything was good.  It was great to get Abel back on her today. He knows her very well.” 

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Midshipman, Leucothea earned her diploma in a $62,500 maiden-claiming event at Del Mar in her second career start. She was then beaten 29 lengths in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) in August before her ill-fated attempt in the Chandelier. 

Altamira Racing Stable Socal Seven Racing, Leucothea was a $40,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale. 

“My brother named the horse," said owner Jeff Hayes. "She’s by Midshipman, and Leucothea is a sea goddess, so he thought hey, that’s a good name. I was worried about it, but he assured me that the horse makes the name.

"...It was tough coming in today because we won so easily at Del Mar, then we did so badly in the Chandelier Stakes. I think we bounced and dropped the jockey, so we didn’t know exactly what we had, but today is a better indication. We are very happy.”