A solid second to streaking Irish-bred Going Global in her last two starts, Harris Farms' homebred Closing Remarks heads an outstanding field of 11 sophomore fillies going one mile on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
In what shapes up as an outstanding betting race on Kentucky Derby Day, Kaleem Shah's Madone, idle since the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, and Godolphin's graded stakes-placed homebred Javanica also figure prominently in a very deep field.
In a tremendous effort, Closing Remarks, a California-bred filly by Vronsky who is trained by Carla Gaines, saved ground throughout and matched strides with Going Global late to finish second, beaten a neck in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at a mile and one eighth on turf at Santa Anita on April 3. Going Global, who was off as the heavy 3-5 favorite, was free-running turning for home and prevailed in a thriller, after which track announcer Frank Mirahmadi noted, “Closing Remarks could not have run any better.”
The same could have been said regarding Closing Remarks' second place finish in the ungraded China Doll Stakes March 6, a one mile turf affair in which Going Global prevailed by three quarters of a length.
Ridden by Umberto Rispoli in five out of her six starts, Closing Remarks will get the first-time services of Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza on Saturday, as Rispoli has engagements at Churchill Downs. Out of the Unusual Heat mare Orange Cove, Closing Remarks won the one mile turf California Cup Oaks three starts back on Jan. 16 and she brings an overall mark of 6-2-2-0 to the Senorita party.
Trained by Simon Callaghan, Madone has been idle since running eighth, beaten 5 ½ lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland Nov. 6. Perhaps the biggest late threat in the Senorita, Madone was unbeaten in three starts, all at one mile on turf, heading into the Breeders' Cup.
A first-out maiden winner on July 31 at Del Mar, Madone then took the one mile Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 6 and in her final Breeders' Cup prep, rallied powerfully from off the pace to take the ungraded Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita Oct. 4. Ridden in all four of her starts by Flavien Prat, Madone, a Kentucky-bred filly by the Medaglia d'Oro stallion Vancouver, will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez on Saturday.
Javanica, a one mile maiden turf winner in her second start at Arlington Park on Sept. 18, was a sharp second, beaten a half length, in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at a mile on turf four starts back on Nov. 28 and returns to her preferred surface following a well beaten fourth in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks on dirt April 3.
Trained by Eoin Harty, Javanica was second, beaten a neck two starts back in the El Camino Real Derby on synthetic Tapeta at Golden Gate Fields and rallied to finish second three starts back at Santa Anita in the one mile turf Blue Norther on Dec. 31.
By Medaglia d'Oro, out of Godolphin's Elusive Quality mare Shuruq, Javanica has a win and two seconds from three starts at one mile on turf and is 7-1-4-0 overall. She'll be ridden for the first time on Saturday by Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux, who by all accounts, is back to his best in the saddle.
GRADE 3 SENORITA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 10 of 10 Approximate post time 5:45 p.m. PT
- Madone—Juan Hernandez—124
- Jibber Jabber—Geovanni Franco—120
- Nimbostratus—Tiago Pereira—120
- Closing Remarks—Victor Espinoza—124
- Tetragonal—Abel Cedillo—120
- Golden—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—120
- Sensible Cat—Tyler Baze—124
- Stressed—Mario Gutierrez—120
- Majestic Steps—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
- Javanica—Kent Desormeaux—120
- Sweetest Angel—Edwin Maldonado–120
First post time for a 10-race card on Kentucky Derby Day, Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Grandstand admission gates open early at 7 a.m. and Infield gates open at 9 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
The post Madone, Closing Remarks, Javanica Among 11 Facing Off In Senorita Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
