Off as the even money favorite, Bob Baffert-trained Faiza saved ground early and took command a quarter mile from home en route to a half length score over Pride of the Nile in Saturday's Grade 3, $200,000 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Ramon Vazquez, Faiza remained unbeaten in three starts while getting a flat mile in 1:38.46.
Attentive to the pace, Faiza, a $725,000 2-year-old in training sale purchase last May, was third, 1 ¾ lengths behind pacesetter Sweet Trouble three furlongs from home and was all-out to hold off the late charge of the Doug O'Neill-trained Pride of the Nile who was gaining ground wide-out.
Idle since taking the G1 Starlet Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Los Alamitos Dec. 10, Faiza paid $4.00, $2.60 and $2.10 in the field of six 3-year-old fillies.
“I'd like to thank Bob Baffert and the owner for the opportunity and support,” said Vazquez, who was aboard Faiza for the first time today with regular rider Flavien Prat away to ride today at Oaklawn Park. “I wanted to get out in the clear and put my filly in a good position. She's a nice filly, when I asked her, she responded really well. She's amazing.”
Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Faiza is by Girvin out of the Smart Strike mare Sweet Pistol. With the winner's share of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $342,000.
A close fourth around the far turn, Pride of the Nile, with Juan Hernandez up, split horses a quarter mile out and despite lugging in some late, finished like a filly that will appreciate added distance. Second to Faiza in the Starlet, Pride of the Nile was off at 7-2 and paid $3.40 and $2.60.
Customarily far back early, Justique rallied from last but never threatened the top two while finishing third, 2 ½ lengths behind Pride of the Nile.
The second choice at 2-1, Justique, with Victor Espinoza up, paid $2.40 to show.
Fractions on the Las Virgenes were 22.41, 47.04, 1:11.92 and 1:25.12.
The Las Virgenes is a Kentucky Oaks qualifying points race with 20-8-6-4-2 points to the top five finishers. However, because Churchill Downs Inc. has banned Baffert from participating at its tracks until this July, his horses are not eligible to earn qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby or Oaks, so only the second through fifth place finishers earned points.
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