Neige Blanche Secures First U.S. Win in Santa Barbara
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Neige Blanche (outside) gets up to win the Santa Barbara Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Rallying three deep a quarter-mile from the finish, French-bred Neige Blanche managed to nip Rideforthecause by a scant nose after 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in the $101,000 Santa Barbara Stakes (G3T) May 8 at Santa Anita Park.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez and trained by native Frenchman Leonard Powell, Neige Blanche, which translates to "white snow" in English, registered her first North American stakes win while stopping the clock in 2:28.01.
Starting midway up Santa Anita's hillside turf course, heavily favored Tapwater , with Flavien Prat up, appeared in firm control on the lead as longshot Star of Africa tracked her in second, about one length off the lead as they crossed under the wire for the first time.
Turning up the backside, Tapwater—who set fractions of :23.72, :48.08, 1:13.56, 1:39.27, and 2:03.80—maintained her one-length edge, but Hernandez had a handful of horse. About three lengths off the lead heading to the far turn, Neige Blanche gained joint command along with Rideforthecause a sixteenth of a mile out as Tapwater faded late to run third. The result was a head-bobbing finish.
"It was really close, it could probably go both ways, 50-50, inside or outside, and thanks to my filly, we got it," said Hernandez, who chalked up his third win on the day. "It was better, because last time (a fourth-place finish in the March 27 Santa Ana Stakes, (G3T)) I think we were a little too close to the pace and today, I was a little bit more (relaxed). Two horses in front of me and she relaxed pretty well. Around the quarter pole, when I asked her to go, she responded really well."
A group 3 winner in her final start in France last June, and grade 1-placed last year in the U.S., Neige Blanche was off at 5-1 in a field of seven fillies and mares. She paid $13.40 for a $2 win ticket.
"No, honestly, I thought the inside got it," said Powell when asked if he thought he had won the tight photo finish, in which Neige Blanche was positioned outside the runner-up. "If we were going to be in front, it was going to have to be a lucky bob and it was a lucky bob.
"Today, she proved that she belongs and that she was worth the investment. I want to thank the partners, Madaket Stables, Marsha Naify, and (Laura) De Seroux for trusting us with her."
The 4-year-old Anodin filly is also owned by Mathilde Powell.
Neige Blanche now has four wins from 11 starts and increased her earnings to $181,844.
In a gut-wrenching defeat, Rideforthecause, ridden by Mario Gutierrez, finished 1 3/4 lengths in front of Tapwater. Go Big Blue Nation , Catch the Eye , Star of Africa, and Dynapower completed the order of finish.
Neige Blanche was bred by Ecurie du Sud out of the Muhtahir (GB) mare Bianca Neve , dam of six winners from seven starters. The mare's latest foal is a 2-year-old Dabirsim colt.