Real Nice Now Number One for The Oaks With Santa Ysabel Victory

By McDuffy on March 9, 2020

While last month Niagara Beauty tried to steal the Gr. III Forward Gal Stakes on the frontend only to finish second, Real Nice used her patented late kick running style as she swept around the turn for home, and crossed the line a half length in front as a 28-1 underdog!

Santa Ysabel Stakes ( Gr. III ) ( KYO ) Purse- $100.000
Santa Anita Park- For Fillies Three Years old
One Mile and a Sixteenth in distance, Main track

Gaining ten points with The Busanda victory on the second of February, and now an addition fifty points with her victory here on Sunday, Real Nice is definitely looking like she is living up to her name this season. She now sits at the top of the list for the Oaks in May, ten points in front of Rampage Stable’s Sunlite who nosed out a victory in the Honeybee in a three-way photo.

Jockey Johnny Velazquez has been aboard for her past two victories and we will more then likely see his services be used in future endeavors as this duo seem to have a feel for one another. While he placed Real Nice in a mid pack of runners down the backstretch as the two Aer Stable entries shot to the front to post a 46.49 opening half mile time, Real Nice was held patiently to the outside a group of four runners. As the field entered the far turn, Johnny V was set down and getting to work on his mount, with Jive Inc’s Save To Maps being sent along as well to her inside.

The charge for home was nothing more then brilliant for Real Nice, taking to the middle of the track with a wall of seven horses spread across the track behind her. Her rider never even glanced back to see where anyone was behind him, just stayed focused completely at the task at hand.

Closing as best as she could, Night Rider Stables Interpoint made up considerable ground from being placed in tenth earlier on in this affair, and she is definitely proving herself a threat for the Oaks later this season. The 12-1 runner has had three runner-up efforts with Bridgmohan in the irons, and given a chance at a longer mile and an eighth event, she will definitely be the one to beat for that distance. She is now placed 7th in Oaks standings with 36 points.

Rounding out the top three with a stellar performance was Save To Maps who knew that when Real Nice was passing her around the turn, it was time to get busy. In just her first start for her new barn, it looks like this trainer may start to feel soon enough that he made the right choice in adding her to his stables. She has a total of ten Oaks points to-date, placing her in 23rd spot.

The final share was snatched up by D J C Racing Stables Dont Leave Me Lonely who was shadowing the eventual winner from behind down the backstretch. While she would get fanned widest of all off the turn for home, she still was able to stay within a length of the winner by the wire. Given an inside effort in her next affair and we will definitely see a challenger for the top top spot. AS far as Oaks standings go, nine points places her in 26th position.

Race #4 16:30 Santa Ysabel Stakes – Grade III [KYO]
1 1/16 Mile Dirt Stake Purse $100.00 Filly 3 Year Olds.

##	Horse Name	Owner Name	Jockey	Odds	Fin	Time	SRF
9	Real Nice	Allinthegate	Velazquez J R	28.60	1^1/2	1:42.06	—
3	Interpoint	Night Rider Stables	Bridgmohan S X	12.85	2^1/2	1:42.16	—
6	Save To Maps	Jive Inc.	Chirinos R	7.30	3^nk	1:42.26	—
8	Dont Leave Me Lonely	D J C Racing Stables	Pennington F	6.30	4^nk	1:42.31	—
1	Latte Lady	Mb Stables	Davis D	7.15	5^hd	1:42.37	—
4	Tamalpais	Mb Stables	Franco M	6.60	6^nk	1:42.41	—
5	Enriched	Mb Stables	Bejarano R	7.80	7^no	1:42.47	—
7	Techno Slayer	The Sidley Stud	Espinoza V	13.15	8¹	1:42.48	—
2	Zombie Storm	La Canada Racehorses	Bocachica A	18.85	9^3/4	1:42.68	—
10	Zealous Kruz	Estero Farms	Saez L	7.40	10¹	1:42.86	—
11	Marbles Blitz	Aer Stables	Juarez N	14.70	10¹	1:42.86	—
12	Leing Fu	Aer Stables	Beschizza A	5.90	12	1:43.06	—