Neige Blanche Takes Charge in Paceless Red Carpet
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Neige Blanche outlasts favored Luck in the Red Carpet Handicap at Del Mar
The French filly Neige Blanche made every pole a winning one in her 1 3/8-mile journey in the $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap (G3T) at Del Mar Nov. 25, holding off the late-charging 3-10 favorite Luck at the wire for a head victory.
The 4-year-old chestnut by the Irish stallion Anodin ran the distance on firm turf in 2:15.45 under Juan Hernandez and returned $24.80 to her backers in the Thanksgiving Day crowd. Splits of the race were :25.00, :50.60, 1:16.35, and 1:40.25, all established by the winner.
"I thought I'd be running second behind someone," said Hernandez. "She usually relaxes better if she's got a horse in front of her. But today nobody wanted the front and she seemed to be fine out there so I just let her keep on going. When we were in the stretch she sensed that other horse (3-10 favorite Luck) coming on the outside and she picked it up. She didn't want to get beat."
The stakes win was the second of the meet for rider Hernandez and his first in the Red Carpet. He now has 13 stakes wins at Del Mar.
Neige Blanche ('white snow' in French) is trained by Frenchman Leonard Powell. She's owned by Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables, Laura De Seroux, Marsha Naify, and Mathilde Powell.
"We brought her here (from France) a year ago and she has been a really consistent, good horse," Powell said. "We tried some new tactics today, going to the lead, and it worked. I could see the first time past the stands the pace wasn't that fast and I felt good. I had a moment of concern when she was headed in the stretch, but she dug in very gamely and got her head in front at the wire. I'm very proud of her."
The stakes win was the first of the fall season and the first in the Red Carpet for trainer Powell. He now has five stakes wins at Del Mar.
Luck, who races for LNJ Foxwoods, finished a half-length ahead of Katsumi Yoshida's Nicest in third.
Neighe Blanche earned first prize of $60,000, pushing her winnings to $315,280. She now has six wins in 15 outings. Among those are wins in the Prix Cleopatre (G3) in France, and the CTT and TOC Stakes at Del Mar, and the Santa Barbara S. (G3T) at Santa Anita Park.
She also has three stakes placings, including when third in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T) last year.
Neige Blanche was bred by Ecurie du Sud out of the Muhtahir mare Bianca Neve , dam of six winners. All eight of her foals have raced. from eight foals to race.