Santa Ana Stakes (Grade 2)- $200.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
March 26, 2016

There was a wild finish in this year’s running of the Santa Ana Stakes, involving four of the six horses.  Our top two picks?  The ones that were fifth and sixth.  Every once in a while in these races it seems like a winner comes out of no where, and today’s victor, The Patriot Filly does seem to fit the bill.  Kudos to winning trainer Threshold, on bringing his filly back to form after a couple of very disappointing races.  It was because of those races that made The Patriot Filly not seem like one of the best bets, and the reason why she was the longest shot on the board today, at 28/1.  Sometimes, the virtual odds don’t make sense, but this time those odds were just about right.  Before her recent slump, The Patriot Filly was racing well in early 2015, so hopefully for the trainer, she can use this result to get back to form.   This is the first time that Threshold has won the Santa Ana Stakes, and the same holds true for jockey B Blanc.  The ending race time of 1:46.31 is off the stake record a bit, but in line for an average time produced by recent winners.  Here’s a deeper look at the result.

1st- 1- The Patriot Filly (28/1)– Our eventual winner from Threshold was good out of gate initially, but would have no interest in running with the pacesetting Tidal Wave in the first run down the frontstretch.  Most of the early portion of the race saw her running in the fourth position.  The top three pulled away a little bit and left a gap of three between them, and the second pack, which was headed by The Patriot Filly.   She was five lengths back at the top of the backstretch, which would be a distance that held constant for that segment as they moved into the final turn.  With Eva The Diva in particular looking to make a move behind her, B Blanc notified his filly that it was time for make a move as well.  By the end of the turn, and benefitting from a beautiful rail trip, she had the lead cut to under three lengths at the top of the stretch.  The lane was clear and unobstructed, but those in front were not going to let it be easy and with a furlong to go she still had almost two lengths to make up.  In the final half furlong, Rip Snortin lost a little punch, and it set up four of them being in a photo for the win that any of them could have been declared the winner in.  The first time I viewed it without knowing the declared winner, I thought it was Eva The Diva, but The Patriot Filly hit the wire with her head lowered at the perfect time to prevail in the extremely tight photo.  Congratulations to Threshold, B Blanc, and all of the connections on the win!  The Patriot Filly is a four year old filly by the late The Patriot, a sire that had a nice legacy in our game.  She is out of the late Trotting Filly who also gave berth the graded winner Pretty As A Picture.  The Patriot Filly was bred in California as a first quarter two year old by Kopites, but was sold unraced to Threshold for $15.000.  Congrats again!

2nd- 2 (dh)- Iron Punch (5/2)- The Joseph Racing entry was not as quick as the top two were out of the gate, but she did well to sit just off the lead in the early stages of the race.  She was about two lengths behind Tidal Wave around the opening the turn, and into the backstretch.  There was quite a gap between her and the fourth place horse, eventual winner The Patriot Filly, at the top of the back stretch.  Maintained this position for most of the backstretch run, but when Rip Snortin made the pass for the lead, Iron Punch wasted no time passing Tidal Wave herself.  Rip Snortin proved to be a much harder pass in the stretch, but Iron Punch would eventually get it done.  Unfortunately for her, several closing bids had kicked into gear behind her, and she could not hold off two of them, one beating her outright before settling for the second place dead heat.

2nd- 5 (dh)- Eva The Diva (7/2)- This filly is not known for being a closer, so it was a little surprising to see the Our Athletes entry at the back of the pack with a view of all of her rivals in front of her over the early portion of the race.  As the backstretch run began, she was seven and a a half lengths out.  Remained at the back as they moved into the final turn, but did close the gap a couple lengths to the leader.  During the turn, she had begun to advance even more, making it known to her rivals that she planned on making a bid.  Eva The Diva was full of run in the stretch, but had to do so about four wide.  She was great in the stretch, and I actually thought she had the race won before they flashed The Patriot Filly pulled it off.  Must have been the headbob.

4th- 3- Rip Snortin (17/1)- Got off to a quick start out of the gate, and would stalk Tidal Wave down the frontstretch the first time for trainer Aer Stables.  She would be second and a length back as they made their way around the opening turn, but looked to challenge Tidal Wave for the lead early in the backstretch.  About halfway into the stretch, she would emerge with the lead but the rest of the field began to close the gap as they approached the far turn.  Held onto the lead until the top of the stretch, and valiantly tried to hold off the field, but would not be able too, particularly in the final half furlong.

5th- 4- Altered Skeleton (9/5)- The runner up in the most recent BC Fillies and Mares Turf opted today for a closing trip, being ahead of only Eva The Diva early on.  Didn’t make much of a move until very late in the backstretch run, as some battling in the front of the field began to take place.   Stayed in the pack until the stretch run began, and she would find a lane eventually to try and make a move through.  Unfortunately for her, everyone else was making a move as well it seemed, and Altered Skeleton could only pass one.

6th- 6- Tidal Wave (7/2)- Started very well out of the gate for Paradise Stable, jumping out to the lead early, and being the first one to hit the start finish line on the first lap.  She would lead the field by about a length around the opening turn, and by the time they hit the top of the backstretch, she had some company up front from Rip Snortin.  She set the opening half in :47.40.  Midway into the backstretch run, she was passed for the lead by Rip Snortin, and at that point, she just seemed to lose interest.  Iron Punch passed her with no problem very shortly after for second and the descent through the field began. She was not a factor in the stretch.

Track: Firm
Time: :47²  1:10³  1:34¹  1:46¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 2 Paid 60.30, 1 – 5 Paid 57.60
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 2 – 5 Paid 780.80, 1 – 5 – 2 Paid 780.80

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES