Irish-bred Quattroelle unleashed an impressive turn of foot the final three sixteenths of a mile and took Thursday's $75,000 Blue Norther Stakes, Santa Anita's final added money event of the year, by three quarters of a length under Tyler Baze. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Quattroelle got a flat mile on turf in 1:35.72.
One of three fillies to exit the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 28, Quattroelle saved ground at the rail into the run to the far turn while about five lengths off the lead. Straightening for home, she angled outside pacesetter Michalska, pinned her ears and held off a stout challenge from favored Javanica to her outside to win in-hand on the wire.
“Her last race, we got kind of got slaughtered a couple of times around the turn, it cost her the race,” said Baze, in reference to Quattroelle's narrow third-place finish in the one mile turf Durante, a race in which Javanica finished second. “She's a nice filly. I don't know how good she is, she is just very nice. She still has a lot of learning. Once I hit the lead, she was pulling herself up all the way down the lane, really just having fun.”
Off at 3-1 in a field of eight sophomore fillies, Quattroelle paid $8.20, $3.60 and $2.60.
Owned by Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, LLC, Quattroelle, who broke her maiden going a mile on turf in her U.S. debut on Oct. 3, picked up $46,920 for the win, increasing her earnings to $94,572. Two for three with Mullins, she's now 4-2-0-2.
“She ran great and we weren't surprised,” said Mullins. “She got knocked sideways real bad last time at Del Mar and she should've won. She's a real hard trying filly and she's done everything we've asked her.”
Ridden by Flavien Prat, Javanica, who was a close third while three-deep turning for home, was off as the 9-5 favorite and paid $3.00 and $2.40 while finishing 1 ¼ lengths clear of Carpe Fortuna.
Off at 5-1 with Mario Gutierrez, Carpe Fortuna paid $3.00 to show.
Fractions on the race were 24.06, 48.18, 1:12.37 and 1:24.21.
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