Under patient handling from Edwin Maldonado, Spendthrift Farm’s homebred Teena Ella prevailed by a neck over a fast finishing Tom’s Regret in Saturday’s $100,000 Senorita Stakes (G3), which was run at about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course.
Brazilian-Bred Royal Ship Overtakes Country Grammer In Californian Sponsored by:
Royal Ship and Mike Smith (outside) edge past Country Grammer to win the Californian
In what soon developed into a match race, Richard Mandella s Royal Ship out-gamed Bob Baffert s Country Grammer by a neck following a thrilling stretch duel in Saturday s Grade 2, $200,000 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Mike Smith, Brazilian-bred Royal Ship got 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.47 and will now be pointed to the G1, $400,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on May 31.
Idle since running fifth in the G1 Travers Stakes Aug. 8 at Saratoga, Country Grammer was sent from his number three post position while Royal Ship, who had been well off the pace in his four stateside starts for Mandella, was hustled out of the gate and sat a close second early while applying considerable pressure to the front-runner.