In her first time around two turns, Chatalas broke running from her rail post position and although pressed through solid fractions, she was able to shake loose from Dua in deep stretch and prevailed by 1½ lengths over New York invader Scalable in Saturday's $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita.
The Chandelier is a Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win & You're In”qualifier, and Chatalas earned a fees-paid berth into the $2-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.
Trained by Mark Glatt and ridden for the first time by Antonio Fresu, Chatalas got 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.28.
A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Del Mar July 30, Chatalas was then a well-beaten fourth by budding superstar Tamara in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) Sept. 9.
Off at 3-1 in her third start Saturday, she paid $8.20 for the win.
Owned by breeder Dan Agnew and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners, Chatalas, a bay Gun Runner filly out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Safari, picked up $120,000 for the win to run her earnings to $187,200.
Fifth in her seven furlong debut at Saratoga Sept. 3, Repole Stable's Scalable was about six lengths off the winner three furlongs out and rallied nicely for the place under Mike Smith.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Dua pressed the winner throughout and paid a price, finishing third, a neck behind Scalable.
Fractions on the race were :23.69, :47.97, 1:11.88 and 1:37.55.
CHANDELIER STAKES QUOTES
JOCKEY ANTONIO FRESU, CHATALAS, WINNER: “I breezed the filly once a couple of months ago. I liked her at that time. Mark (Glatt) brought her into this in perfect shape. We talked in the paddock and the plan was to sit right behind the leaders. But we agreed if nobody goes, then I could. She broke well and I had the advantage of the rail. She relaxed really well in front. When I asked her to kick, she was still kind of immature, she was waiting for someone to come. But the last eighth, she changed gears and won impressively.
“I still had a lot of horse underneath me. I liked the way she galloped out. I think she will stay all day long. She has a good frame of mind. In the post parade she was really quiet, really relaxed, like she was going out to train in the morning.”
TRAINER MARK GLATT, CHATALAS, WINNER: “We've always thought the further she went the better she would be. A little disappointed with the Debutante performance, but I look back on it and she was fairly close to .44 fractions and that's just not her. We knew she would have pretty good speed going two turns and she did kind of everything her own way, she broke sharp and had a relatively comfortable lead, Fresu rode her great.”
OWNER DAN AGNEW, PART-OWNER/BREEDER, CHATALAS, WINNER: “Cloud nine now that would describe it. Especially with a homebred like this, it is a great thrill and Mark's done a great job with the filly. The man that was on the farm said, 'This is one I think you ought to keep and I think he was right.'
I think the way Gun Runner has proven a great sire to both fillies and colts was a big reason I decided to keep her and race her. On to the Breeders' Cup, we hope that she comes out well and we are looking forward to it.”
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