Patience pays; Window Shopping wins Summertime Oaks
Trainer Richard Mandella’s lightly raced Window Shopping, a 16 1/2-length, maiden winner two starts back, benefitted from patient handling Saturday when she rallied to win by 1 3/4 lengths in the Grade 2, $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita.
Ridden by Hector Berrios, the 3-year-old daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah got 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.01.
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Attentive to the pace while well within herself in the run to the first turn, Window Shopping was a close fifth, about two lengths off dueling leaders The Alys Look and Ancient Peace. Between horses a half-mile out, Windwo Shopping angled outside Ancient Peace turning for home. With Lily Poo to her immediate outside, she proved best in her second stakes assignment and fourth career start.
“My intention was to keep her close to the group,” Berrios said. “Thank God I got a good break, and I was able to get a good position. As soon as we made the move around the far turn, she just switched on.”
A much troubled third at 5-1 in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) on April 8, Window Shopping was off as the 7-2 third choice and paid $9.00, $4.80 and $3.80.
A $700,000 Keeneland September yearling owned by Perry and Ramona Bass, Window Shopping has two wins from three starts on the main track after she was unplaced in her one-mile turf debut at Del Mar on Nov. 13. Out of the Tapit mare Delightful Joy, Window Shopping added $120,000 to increase her earnings to $208,700.
“Perfect trip. He put her in a good spot, waited for the hole to open up and went for it, and it worked,” Mandella said. “I was full of confidence. I knew she was going to win,” he added with tongue in cheek and the wink of an eye.
Ridden by Tiago Pereira, long shot Ancient Peace stayed determinedly, outrunning Lily Poo by a half-length for the place. Trained by John Sadler and off at 15-1, Ancient Peace paid $13.00 and $8.00.
Last early with Umberto Rispoli up, Lily Poo finished three lengths clear of Anywho and paid $7.20 for third after going off at 15-1.
The 2-1 favorite with Joe Bravo up, Anywho did not appear to have any excuses in finishing fourth.
Fractions for the race were 23.26, 46.78, 1:11.36 and 1:38.09.