Santa Margarita (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies and Mares Four Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
March 18, 2017

For the second time in four years, the Santa Margarita has ended in a dead heat.  The prior time was 2014, when it was a pair of Mb Stables horses sharing the victory.  This time, Mb Stables will have to share the winnings with another trainer, as his The Hanging Tree was caught at the very end by Notarized Kate.  After covering so many of her races, it feels good to finally report on a Notarized Kate win, but also fitting that it doesn’t come outright.  Mb Stables has now won the race three times, but only once in outright fashion.  Pristine Stables, the owner of Notarized Kate gets his first such win, as does the filly’s jockey, J R Leparoux.  The jockey of The Hanging Tree, J R Velazquez has now won it four times, including both recent years it ends in a dead heat. The time of the win was 1:48.29, the third quickest in history.  Congratulations to our winners!  Let’s look more at it.

1st- 1 (dh)- The Hanging Tree (9/2)- Our co-winner from Mb Stables ran a rather methodical race.   She would start well along the rail, but not put herself in a position to chase Shake It Off who jumped out to a commanding lead early on.  With Way Up running right to her outside, The Hanging Tree was the innermost of three wide going down the backstretch.  Ran in cruise control at that time, and as they moved into the turn both The Hanging Tree and Way Up each made their move to the front.  Way Up had a clearer lane to do so, therefore it would be her leading the way as hit the top of the stretch, but The Hanging Tree was never more then a length back.   With about a furlong to go, The Hanging Tree pulled even with Way Up and would get a head in front of that one, who never gave in.  Looming on the outside was the charge of Notarized Kate, and she was coming on strong.  They would hit the line together, and it would come down to the headbob.  The stewards were unable to separate them, for a dead heat.  The Hanging Tree is a four year old filly by El Gran Broomstick and out of Mystic Falls.  She was bred in California as a first quarter two year old by Night Mare Racing and acquired by Mb Stables via Riggins Racing in private sales for $800.000.  Congratulations to the connections!

1st- 6 (dh)- Notarized Kate (5/1)- The co-winner from Pristine Stables got off to a conservative start, and would round the opening turn while three wide, being ahead of only nemesis Wicked Heat at this point.  Stayed back there early on in the backstretch, running about five and a half lengths from the front.  Split Art Of Glory and Asclepios Trail quite nicely at this point, allowing her to set her sights on the next wave of horses ahead of her as they prepared to move around the turn.  Exploded near the exit of the turn, gaining ground quickly, and was in a great position to strike in the stretch, though had to be four wide.  Charged hard in the stretch, gradually reeling in The Hanging Tree and Way Up, and at the end of the race, she would do just enough to get a share of the victory.  Notarized Kate is a four year old filly by Gunga Din and out of Carry On Loving.  She was bred in Texas by La Bahia Stables as a yearling and acquired unraced by Pristine Stables in private sales for $100.000.  Congratulations to the connections!

3rd- 4- Way Up (5/2)- The post time favorite from Team 7 Illusions broke well out of the gate, but did not look to challenge Heart Nebulae initially, or the eventual quick pace set by Shake It Off.  At a half mile, Way Up was parked in a comfortable spot to the outside of The Hanging Tree, and two and a half lengths from the lead.  Advanced in a synchronized stride with that one as they prepared to round the final turn.  She had the better lane, and emerged with the lead at the top of the stretch with everything looking her way.  Battled until the end, but could not hold off the co-winners.

4th- 9- Shake It Off (7/1)- From the outside, the Our Athletes entry did not immediately shoot out of the gate, but she was very determined to take the early lead, that she emphatically ran around the first turn while four wide, to lead at a half by two, in a time of :47.08.  Continued to pour it in on in the backstretch, running six furlongs in 1:10.70, before she began to lose her advantage in the final turn.   Hung in there for a while, before gradually losing touch with the top three in the closing moments of the race.

5th- 8- Wicked Heat (5/1)- The reigning BC Distaff champion, from EasyMoney Stables did not start well and herself back by seven very quickly.  While she likes to come from off the pace, this was further back then we normally see her.  Trailed in the backstretch, two lengths behind the next closest horse to her.  She began to advance towards the exit of the turn, but still had to pass everyone in the stretch.  Not helping matters was that she ran right into Heart Nebulae, and had to alter her lane to be behind her longtime rival, Notarized Kate.  Once free, we never saw a last second charge from her.

6th- 7- Heart Nebulae (10/1)- Quickest of them all out of the gate for SamIam, and led the field into the turn, though would ultimate concede the lead to Shake It Off at the top of the backstretch. Four wide in the backstretch, lost ground in the turn, then moreso in the stretch where she particularly struggled.

7th- 2- El Gran Tigercat (23/1)- The Spark Racing filly started conservatively and was near the back early on.  Seemed to be flat on the backstretch, and unable to follow The Hanging Tree through along the rail around the final turn.

8th- 3- Art Of Glory (8/1)- Began the race towards the back for John Henry, and would gain a little ground around the first turn to be midpack for the backstretch.  Lacked response at the top of the final turn, and never showed any spark to move forward.

9th- 5- Asclepios Trail (36/1)- Initially good out of the gate for Kopites, but then seemed to lose a lot of ground while rounding the first turn and would find herself in the middle of the field early. Wide in backstretch, she would then be about six wide in the turn, but had nothing for the stretch.

*- I meant to predict “4-8-6-1″ in the preview, not “2-8-6-1″, for what its worth.

Track: Fast
Time: :47   1:10³  1:35²  1:48¹

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 1 – 6 Paid 20.10, 6 – 1 Paid 15.20
$1 Trifecta: 1 – 6 – 4 Paid 55.00, 6 – 1 – 4 Paid 34.70

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES