Santa Anita news: Fahan Mura the one to catch in Buena Vista Stakes
Two things are certain in Saturday’s one-mile Buena Vista Stakes (G2) on the Santa Anita Park turf: Vasilika will be favored, and Fahan Mura will be the one to catch.
A chestnut daughter of the Smart Strike sire English Channel, Fahan Mura has been in front from the opening of the gates for her last 10 races in a row, or ever since jockey Edwin Maldonado got the mount almost a year ago, on March 25, 2018.
Together, they have won five races including the Robert J. Frankel Stakes (G3) on Dec. 29. Last out, they led for about a half-mile in the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational against males at 1 3/16 miles on a yielding course at Gulfstream Park Jan. 26 before fading to 10th and last at odds of 42-1.
“It wasn’t really the distance that compromised her chances,” said Vladimir Cerin, who trains the five-year-old Pennsylvania-bred for Bran Jam Stables and David W. Clark.
“She won the Frankel at a mile and an eighth, and the Pegasus was only a sixteenth of a mile longer, but she was done after three jumps. The ground was so soft.
“She doesn’t handle it well. This turf course dries up very quickly so it should be good for her, but if it’s got a lot of cut in the ground, she won’t run.”
Addressing style and strategy, Cerin asked rhetorically, “Who’s going to keep her from being in front? She’s done 44 and four here and kept going and she loves this turf course.”
Fahan Mura led Vasilika on a merry chase before yielding twice, finishing third by less than two lengths in the John C. Mabee (G2) at a mile and an eighth, and second in Goldikova (G2) at a mile on grass.
Cerin willingly offers kudos to Maldonado.
“I give Edwin all the credit,” Cerin said, “because he never restrained her. He just let her be herself and have a nice, free pace from the beginning to the end.”
The Buena Vista, Race 8 of 10 offering $200,000 in purse money with a 12:25 p.m. first post time: Take These Chains, Tiago Pereira, 12-1; Ms Bad Behavior, Mike Smith, 5-1; Zaffinah, Rafael Bejarano, 12-1; Fahan Mura, Edwin Maldonado, 6-1; Compelled, Joe Talamo, 12-1; Amandine, Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1; English Dancer, Kent Desormeaux, 20-1; Elysea’s World, Joel Rosario, 4-1; Vasilika, Flavien Prat, 8-5; and Streak of Luck, Tyler Baze, 20-1.
SHOW IT N MOE IT HAS A CASE OF SPRING FEVER
Show It N Moe It is a consistent if unsung filly that has paid her way through two-plus seasons of racing for trainer Gary Sherlock, owner/breeder Terry Lovingier, and part owner Eugene Zondlo.
They hope the 4-year-old daughter of Grace Upon Grace runs her winning streak to a modest two in Sunday’s $100,000 Spring Fever Stakes for older California-bred fillies and mares at six furlongs.
“She’s a nice filly and good filly,” Sherlock said. “I hope we can win, because it will put her over $400,000 (she has earned $375,604).”
Sherlock has enjoyed a long and successful run with Lovingier, one of the Golden State’s most dedicated contributors to the Cal-bred program.
The Spring Fever, Race 8 of 9: Show It N Moe It, Rafael Bejarano; Coco Kisses, Joel Rosario; S Y Sky, Joe Talamo; Barbara Beatrice, Tiago Pereira; and Into Rissa, Geovanni Franco.
FINISH LINES: Enaya Alrabb, a fast-closing second by three-parts of a length to odds-on favorite Bellafina in the Las Virgenes Stakes on Feb. 9, worked four furlongs Friday under Mike Smith in 49 seconds flat, with the Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on March 10 a likely steppingstone to the Santa Anita Oaks (G1) on April 6. “We took the blinkers off for the work and might take them off for the Santa Ysabel, too,” leading trainer Doug O’Neill said. “That could prove the missing link to winning.