Going to Vegas Cruises to Graded Victory in Santa Ana
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Going to Vegas wins the Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita Park
After knocking on the door in graded stakes company, Going to Vegas broke through March 27 with a 3 3/4-length frontrunning victory in the $100,500 Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.
The 4-year-old Goldencents filly capped off her sophomore season with three consecutive graded placings for trainer Richard Baltas, including a runner-up finish in the American Oaks (G1T). She returned Feb. 20 to finish fourth in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) in her first start for owners Abbondanza Racing, Medallion Racing, and MyRacehorse Stable. She was claimed by Baltas for $50,000 last June at Santa Anita.
"She ran her race today. Today was the first time she showed us that kind of acceleration. The turn of foot was impressive. It feels great," Baltas said. "Just working on her, getting her to relax, and obviously we took the blinkers off of her. She ran a really good race in the American Oaks—that was a grade 1 race. The new partners bought into the horse and everybody made money. She's been training very well and (jockey) Umberto (Rispoli), he fit her like a glove, very happy."
Under Rispoli for the first time Saturday, Going to Vegas set a comfortable pace in the 1 1/4-mile race beginning on the downhill turf. She took over the lead from grade 1 winner and 2-5 favorite Mucho Unusual first time past the grandstand and led through quarter-mile fractions of :24.64, :49.17, 1:14.02, and 1:38.14 while a length in front. Mucho Unusual, second in the Buena Vista last out, was third along the rail.
Going to Vegas entered the stretch and showed no signs of fatigue as she cruised to a time of 2:00.80 on a firm course. She returned $8.60 on a $2 win ticket as the 3-1 second choice.
Mucho Unusual was second a length in front of Red Lark, who rallied from last to finish third ahead of Neige Blanche, Altea, and Silberpfeil. Colonial Creed and Tapwater were scratched.
"Since last night when I watched all the races of the filly—I didn't know then Tapwater was scratched—I said to myself, 'She probably would be the pace,'" Rispoli said of Going to Vegas. "This morning I said to myself, 'The only way to beat Mucho Unusual is to go get the lead.' Like Richard said, she's got nice natural speed, she just brings you up there.
"I do really like the first part of the race, when I brought her to the middle of the track and she was relaxing, moving the ears, and looking around, and I felt it then that she was relaxed. The race came the way I want, I took the lead before the first turn and from there she just kept improving acceleration and she really gave me a serious turn of foot at the top of the stretch."
Going to Vegas was bred in Kentucky by Kirk and Judy Robison and campaigned by them until claimed. She is out of the stakes-winning Johannesburg mare Hard to Resist, who produced a California-bred yearling filly by Grazen in 2020 and was bred to Om for 2021.
From 18 starts, Going to Vegas has earned a 4-8-2 record and $283,751.
Baltas anticipates keeping her over long trips.
"With this distance, it's probably better for her to stay or even a little further, mile and three-eighths, mile and a half, because she has tactical speed and she made the lead pretty easy today and she relaxed very nicely," he said. "She really kicked home nicely today. I was pleasantly surprised that she had that turn of foot at the end."