Zindaya lives up to top billing in Goldikova
Favored Zindaya saved ground throughout, split horses turning for home and surged the final three sixteenths of a mile to take the Grade II, $200,000 Goldikova Stakes by a half length on Sunday at Santa Anita. Trained by Chad Brown, the Belmont Park-based Zindaya got a flat mile on turf in 1:34.38.
“I tried to save all the ground I could,” said Castellano, America’s Eclipse Champion Jockey the past three years, who also guided Brown’s New Money Honey to victory in Friday’s Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. “We thought the six (Hillhouse High) would go and she did. I just tried to follow her and when we swung out at the top of the lane, she gave me a powerful kick.”
Off at even money in a field of seven fillies and mares three and up, Zindaya paid $4.00, $2.80 and $2.40. A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by More Than Ready, she picked up her sixth win from 15 starts and with the winner’s share of $120,000, increased her earnings to $561,240.
“It’s special,” said Bob Edwards, who races as E Five Racing Thoroughbreds, which also owns New Money Honey. “She’s our first ever stakes winner. (Zindaya won her first stakes at Belmont in May, 2015, which was also Edwards’ first stakes win as an owner). “Javier has done a great job with her and Chad has done a great job with her…This is my first time out here. It’s been a pretty good year and winning this race makes a big difference.”
California-bred Tiz a Kiss sat second the entire trip under Kent Desormeaux and battled tenaciously throughout, finishing second, a nose in front of Hillhouse High. Off at 10-1, Tiz a Kiss paid $7.60 and $5.00.
Ridden by Santiago Gonzalez, Hillhouse High set fractions of 23.43, 47.47, 1:11.85 and 1:23.14. Off at 17-1, she paid $7.80 to show.
Sunday is closing day of Santa Anita’s 23-day Autumn Meet. Live racing returns to Arcadia the day after Christmas, Dec. 26.
Source: Santa Anita Park