Santa Anita: Closing Remarks, Ruby Nell win Sunday stakes

Closing Remarks runs down Queen Goddess in Goldikova

With a hot pace to run at, California-bred Closing Remarks rallied from far back to take Sunday’s Closing day co-feature at Santa Anita, the Grade 2, $200,000 Goldikova Stakes, getting one mile on firm turf in 1:32.69.  Trained by Carla Gaines and ridden by Juan Hernandez, the 5-year-old mare by Vronsky was up to win by a half length over favored Queen Goddess.

As expected, Irish-bred Hamwood Flier went to the front out of the gate and enjoyed a two length advantage over Queen Goddess around the Club House turn.  Heading up the backside, Closing Remarks had one horse beat while about seven off the lead.

Heading to the far turn, Hernandez opted to sit chilly as Lucky Girl rallied from last to her outside but Closing Remarks would soon be into gear three-deep turning for home and rolled late to easily reel in the favorite well inside the sixteenth pole.

Owned and bred in California by Harris Farms, Inc., Closing Remarks, a three-time graded stakes winner who was most recently fourth going a mile and one quarter on turf in the Rodeo Drive (G2) here on Oct. 7, was off at 5-1 in a field of six fillies and mares three and up and paid $13.60, $4.20 and $2.60.

Out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks now has five overall stakes wins and is 7-5-4 from 24 career starts.  With today’s winner’s share of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $999,320.

Queen Goddess, idle since third in the Gamely Stakes (G1) here on May 29, overtook Hamwood Flier a furlong out but was no match for the winner late.  Off at even money under Luis Saez, Queen Goddess returned $3.00 and $2.40.

Hamwood Flier, ridden by Flavien Prat, held off eastern shipped Full Count Felicia by a head and paid $3.40 to show while off at 4-1.

Santa Anita’s leading rider through 18 racing days, Hernandez notched his league-leading seventh stakes win and his 24th overall victory.

Fractions on the race were 22.67, 45.38, 1:08.38 and 1:20.42.

"This mare she tries all the time, she’s a really nice, honest mare," Hernandez said. "She knows what she is doing on the track, she is a professional and always shows up. Last time, there was no pace at all and I think I was too close to the pace and that’s why she didn’t finish. Today the race set up really good for her. Carla brought her ready today because she was feeling really good in the post parade and she showed up in the race.  When I asked her turning for home around the three-eighths, she picked it up really well and she switched leads. At the end we got the win."

Ruby Nell dominates front end in Autumn Miss

Who better to have on a front-runner than Edwin Maldonado?  Answer:  No one.

With Maldonado at the controls Richard Mandella’s Ruby Nell, despite stumbling at the break, was in complete command throughout as she took Sunday’s closing day co-feature at Santa Anita, the Grade 3, $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes, winning by 3 1/4 lengths over heavily favored Anisette while getting a mile on firm turf in 1:32.67.

With four scratches reducing the Autumn Miss to a field of seven sophomore fillies, Ruby Nell had a five-length advantage over long shot Justique around the first turn and widened from there, opening up by eight lengths turning for home in a literal cakewalk on Mandella’s 73rd birthday.

“She’s really gifted, a very good filly,” said the Hall of Fame conditioner.  “…She stumbled leaving the gate today and off terrible (but) she looked so relaxed.  I thought well, maybe he will tuck her right in there and she got a head of steam and when she does, she’s pretty strong.”

A winner of the ungraded Unzip Me Stakes at about 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course on Oct. 1, Ruby Nell was off as the second choice in the wagering at 5-2 and paid $7.60, $3.40 and $2.20.

A daughter of Bolt d’Oro out of the Not For Love mare Rich Love, Ruby Nell, who sold for $1.2 million at the Fasig-Tipton 2-year-olds in training sale in March of 2022, now has four wins, two seconds and a third place finish from eight starts.  With the winner’s cut of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $258,520.

“She is a very versatile filly,” said Maldonado, who notched his second win of the 19-day meet.  “When we ran down the hill, naturally, there was a lot more speed than going a mile, so she kind of fell back…We knew with the today that she was the lone speed but nevertheless, we were trying not to rush anything.

“Wherever she broke, wherever she was, we were happy with.  She just won it her way today.”

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Anisette fell victim to a lone speed scenario and although she put in a good run, it wasn’t nearly enough.  A Grade 1 winner, English-bred Anisette was off at 3-5 and paid $2.40 and $2.10.

Breath Away, an ungraded stakes winner ridden by Joel Rosario, had been idle since June 24 at Belmont Park.  Making her Southern California debut for Christophe Clemente, the English-bred was off at 9-1 and paid $3.20 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.61, 45.46, 1:08.67 and 1:20.60.

Live racing resumes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26.